STEPPING BACK

CDC Pulls Bizarre Guidance for Doctors on Drugs Trump Backed as COVID-19 Treatment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed dosage advice on hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine from its website.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has pulled from its website some weird guidance telling doctors how to prescribe hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine—the anti-malaria drugs recommended by President Trump to treat the coronavirus. Reuters reports that, initially, the CDC site published dosing information for the two drugs based on anecdotal evidence rather than peer-reviewed science. Medical experts expressed their shock at the language, with Lynn Goldman, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, reportedly saying: “Why would CDC be publishing anecdotes ... That doesn’t make sense. This is very unusual.” But the CDC website no longer includes that information, and now reads: “There are no drugs or other therapeutics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent or treat COVID-19.” It adds that “Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are under investigation in clinical trials” for use on coronavirus patients.