Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
U.S. Sends 2 Million Doses Of Controversial Anti-Malarial Drug To Hard-Hit Brazil
No large, rigorous scientific studies have found the drug, hydroxychloroquine, safe or effective for preventing or treating COVID-19, and some smaller studies have indicated worse outcomes from those taking the drug. Brazil, now Latin America鈥檚 hardest-hit country, continues to see a surge in virus cases, and last week Trump announced that the U.S. was restricting travel from the country to prevent travelers from spreading the virus in the U.S. (5/31)
The big picture: The situation in Brazil, which has reported over 498,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 28,000 deaths, is threatening to spiral out of control as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro faces mounting criticism for downplaying the severity of the virus. (Perano, 5/31)
The two countries will also conduct a joint research effort that will include 鈥渞andomized controlled clinical trials,鈥 the statement said, adding that the United States would soon send 1,000 ventilators to Brazil. Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, its Health Ministry said, and the death toll surpassed that of France and now ranks only below the United States, Britain and Italy. (Spetalnick, 5/31)
U.S. hospitals said they have pulled way back on the use of hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a COVID-19 treatment, after several studies suggested it is not effective and may pose significant risks. (Erman and Beasley, 5/29)
Sanofi has temporarily stopped recruiting new COVID-19 patients for two clinical trials on hydroxychloroquine and will no longer supply the anti-malaria drug to treat COVID-19 until concerns about safety are cleared up, it said on Friday. The moves come after the World Health Organization paused its large trial of hydroxychloroquine, prompting several European governments to ban the use of the drug, also used in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. (Blamont, 5/29)
Russia will start administering its first approved antiviral drug to treat coronavirus patients next week, its state financial backer told Reuters, a move it described as 鈥渁 game changer鈥 that should speed a return to normal economic life. (Osborn, 6/1)
