Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine not licensed for coronavirus (COVID-19) treatment

MHRA have issued a press release around recent media reports that have suggested that chloroquine can protect patients from coronavirus or treat COVID-19, the illness caused by a coronavirus. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are not licensed to treat COVID-19 related symptoms or prevent infection.

Clinical trials are ongoing to test chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as an agent in the treatment of COVID-19 or to prevent COVID-19 infection. These clinical trials are still not completed, so no conclusions have been reached on the safety and effectiveness of this medicine to treat or prevent COVID-19.

Until we have clear, definitive evidence these treatments are safe and effective for the treatment of COVID-19, they should only be used for this purpose within a clinical trial

Further details of the press release can be found on the MHRA website