Trump taking hydroxychloroquine as hedge against virus

WASHINGTON • US President Donald Trump has said in a surprise announcement that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that he has touted for Covid-19 despite medical warnings about its use, as a preventive medicine against the coronavirus.

"I've been taking it for the last week and a half. A pill every day," he told reporters on Monday.

Weeks ago, Mr Trump had promoted the drug as a potential treatment for the virus but subsequent studies found that it was not helpful. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about its use.

In an April 24 statement, the FDA said it was "aware of reports of serious heart rhythm problems" in patients with Covid-19 treated with hydroxychloroquine or an older drug, chloroquine.

Mr Trump, 73, who is being tested daily for the virus, said he had asked the White House physician if it was OK to take the drug, and the doctor told him, "well, if you'd like it".

White House physician Sean Conley has said Mr Trump is in "very good health" and has regularly tested negative for Covid-19 since one of his support staff was found to have the virus two weeks ago.

"After numerous discussions he and I had regarding the evidence for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine, we concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks," Dr Conley said in the memo released by the White House.

Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asked on CNN about the news of Mr Trump taking the drug, said: "He's our president. I would rather he not be taking something that has not been approved by the scientists, especially in his age group and his, shall we say weight group (which) is morbidly obese, they say."

According to the results of an annual presidential physical examination conducted in February last year, Mr Trump had gained weight over the past year and was now in the obese range, although remaining in "very good health overall".

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE