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Trump says he decides which days to take hydroxychloroquine 1:51
(CNN) - Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has been proven to treat coronavirus, although there is no evidence that taking it can prevent infection with the virus and could even be harmful, according to studies.
"A couple of weeks ago, I started taking it," Trump said. Later he said that he had been taking it every day for a week and a half.
When asked if the White House doctor recommended it, Trump replied "no." "I asked him what you think, he said, 'Well, if you want to do it ..." the president told reporters.
What is hydroxychloroquine?
Hydroxychloroquine, also known by the brand name Plaquenil, and its analog, chloroquine, are derived from quinine, which French chemists isolated in 1820 from the bark of the cinchona tree, according to Medicines for Malaria Venture.
In 1934, German scientists created synthetic chloroquine as part of a class of antimalarials, MMV said.
Hydroxychloroquine is the least toxic version of chloroquine.
LOOK : Trump says he has been taking hydroxychloroquine for more than two weeks and without a prescription
What is it for?
Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat or prevent malaria and to treat autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
But since 2006 its use has not been recommended in severe malaria due to resistance problems, particularly in the Oceania region, according to the World Health Organization.
It also has value as a "disease-modifying antirheumatic drug" that can decrease arthritis pain and swelling, according to the American College of Rheumatology. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, childhood arthritis, some symptoms of lupus, and other autoimmune diseases.
"It is not clear why hydroxychloroquine is effective in treating autoimmune diseases. Hydroxychloroquine is believed to interfere with cell communication in the immune system, "says the university.
There is no evidence that taking hydroxychloroquine can prevent infection with covid-19.
What have the studies said?
A new study, the largest of its kind, shows that hydroxychloroquine does not work against covid-19 and could cause heart problems, CNN's Elizabeth Cohen reported last week.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association . It follows a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that also showed that the drug does not fight the virus.
Hydroxychloroquine: no benefit for covid-19 patients 2:39The Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) authorized the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of covid-19 in only three cases and provided there is agreement between doctor and patient.
Study showed that coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine had the same propensity to need mechanical ventilation and had higher death rates compared to those who didn't take the drug, according to a study of hundreds of patients at the Veterans Health Administration from the United States.
Studies in Brazil and Sweden have also detected side effects in patients: they developed heart problems. And a study in France found that it did not fight covid-19 and was also associated with cardiac complications.
READ : Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine: Cardiac Risk Concerns Raise About Their Use for Covid-19 Treatment
Even before these reports were released, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health issued warnings about the use of medications for patients with coronavirus.
The FDA warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat the new coronavirus, and said they should only be used in hospitals or clinical trials because they can kill or cause serious side effects.
These include severe heart rhythm problems in covid-19 patients treated with the medications, especially when combined with the antibiotic azithromycin or other medications that can affect the heart.
What does Trump say?
Trump said he had not been exposed, but that he started taking the drug because he had heard from front-line workers who sent him letters saying they were taking it preventively.
"Here is my evidence: I get a lot of positive calls about it," Trump said.
The president said he does not know if it works, but stated that "if it does not work, you will not get sick and die."
CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta wrote in 2018 that Trump has a common form of heart disease, based on the results of his physical exam.
Trump believes the drug can be a powerful weapon against covid-19, he says, "and there are signs that it works in this, some very strong signs" and that taking the drug could be helpful as a preventative measure for healthcare workers.
Hydroxychloroquine
