WASHINGTON: The US is fast-tracking anti-malarial drugs for use as a treatment against the Covid-19 coronavirus, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday, following encouraging early results in France and China. The drugs are already approved for malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and doctors in the US may prescribe any drug they believe is appropriate medically. “As an example, many Americans have read studies and heard media reports about this drug chloroquine, which is an anti-malarial drug. Some in the wider scientific community have cautioned more research is needed to prove that they really work and are safe for Covid-19. “It’s highly possible that this compound is changing the acidity of the cells infected with the virus,” she told AFP.

Source: New Strait Times March 20, 2020 01:52 UTC