A number of media outlets reported that according to studies, hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug US President Donald Trump has been taking to avoid becoming infected with the coronavirus, has caused negative side effects, including irregular heartbeats, in patients.
The observational study, published in The Lancet, involved 96,000 CV-19 carriers, nearly 15,000 of whom were given the drug or a related medicine, claimed that it hurt patients' chances of recovering from the virus.
Researchers said they believed the risk of death was significantly higher for individuals taking the drug. The World Health Organization (WHO) joined a chorus of attacks on the prospective cure, saying no clinical trials had recommended its use.
The National Institute of Health (NIH), meanwhile, came out in favor of the treatment, supporting the prospective antidote. Hydroxychloroquine has yet to be approved, but its use is being allowed in emergency cases.
As for Trump, the President has made it clear he will continue using hydroxychloroquine despite critics' claims. He said he believes the medicine may offer a cure for COVID-19, which has plagued countless communities worldwide.