A malaria drug pitched by President Trump as an effective weapon against COVID-19 remains in wide use in South Florida, despite studies that show it can cause fatal side effects.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning last week on hydroxychloroquine, saying it could cause “serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems” in COVID-19 patients. The agency did not say the drug shouldn’t be used for the disease, only that patients should be screened and monitored to reduce the risk.
Several South Florida hospital systems say they continue to use the drug, but only in hospital settings where patients can be closely watched, as the FDA recommends.