Potential negative effects of the free use of chloroquine to manage COVID‐19 in Colombia

Teherán, Aníbal A.; Camero, Gabriel; Hernández, Carolina; Perez‐Garcia, Luis; Gúzman, Renato; Paniz‐Mondolfi, Alberto; Ramírez, Juan David

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged healthcare systems around the world. Unfortunately, failure has ensued: high-income countries have succumbed to the global emergency despite highly prepared human and technological assets. There is no current consensus on pharmacological management of COVID-19, but chloroquine phosphate (CQ) has emerged as a possible therapeutical candidate. However, no conclusive evidence has been published on the efficacy of CQ against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The Colombian government has approved the use of CQ for COVID-19, a measure that could negatively impact a large number of patients who depend on this drug for the treatment of other life-threatening diseases such as malaria and rheumatic autoimmune diseases. Careful consideration should be taken by Colombian authorities regarding the use of CQ in context of the ongoing pandemic. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.