Some of the most promising potential treatments for COVID-19 are chloroquine (CQ, a malaria medicine) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a less toxic version of choloroquine that is used for malaria as well as lupus and arthritis. Here is the current prescribing info for CQ [0] and HCQ [1]<p>These drugs are already approved. There is emerging evidence that these drugs are promising (see below refs). But the evidence is VERY preliminary. WHO is organizing a much larger study to test these and other drugs [2]. Other companies are also ramping up studies. But it will take time to generate the data<p>Because HCQ is fairly non-toxic, it might make sense for health care providers treating COVID-19 patients to take this as a preventative measure. They are already low on protective equipment and at high risk<p>But we need to study whether the drugs actually work. Are there companies that can help run "virtual" studies -- where HCPs can take the drug, record their doses taken, health characteristics, and clinical outcomes? This would balance need for data collection with need for immediate tx for HCPs<p>[0] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/006002s044lbl.pdf<p>[1] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/009768s037s045s047lbl.pdf<p>[2] https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/who-to-launch-multinational-trial-to-jumpstart-search-for-coronavirus-drugs/<p>https://www.arabnews.com/node/1643141/world<p>https://www.nature.com/articles/s41421-020-0156-0<p>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32150618<p>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32164085