U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would soon finish taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against the coronavirus, ending a controversial drug regimen that was widely criticised by public health experts.
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“I think the regimen finishes in a day or two.
“I think it’s two days,” he said during a meeting in the White House.
Earlier this week the president announced that he had been taking a daily dose of hydroxychloroquine, which is commonly used as an anti-malarial medication.
The U.S. drug regulator has warned against using the medication outside of clinical trials or certain hospital settings for coronavirus treatment.
Trials are still ongoing to gauge whether the drug has any uses for strains of coronavirus.
The drug has been touted in some circles – often among conservatives – as both a possible preventative measure and also a means to lessen symptoms and help patients recover from the virus.
While there are studies being conducted on the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment, some studies have already shown damaging side effects of the drug, and there is no evidence the medication could prevent a novel coronavirus infection.
At least one clinical trial had to be stopped because the doctors deemed the continued use of hydroxychloroquine by some patients could have adverse effects and was not justifiable.