FDA Gives Emergency Use Authorization to Two Drugs to Fight COVID-19

The US Food and Drug Administration has given two drugs—hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate—Emergency Use Authorization for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Announced on Sunday, March 29, the declaration enabled donations of the drugs to be made to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), which then distributes the medications to hospitals. The SNS has since received 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine from Sandoz and 1 million doses of chloroquine phosphate from Bayer Pharmacueticals. While no clinical trials have been conducted yet, anecdotal evidence suggests the drugs, typically used to treat malaria and other diseases, show activity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Read more here.