France has cancelled a decree allowing hydroxychloroquine to be used as a treatment for coronavirus after studies showed it increased deat...
France has cancelled a decree allowing hydroxychloroquine to be used as a treatment for coronavirus after studies showed it increased death rates in patients.
It comes after Donald Trump claimed to have been taking the drug to prevent the disease, despite concerns over the health risks.
France's health minister Olivier Véran ordered a review of trials using the drug at the weekend after a study in The Lancet showed the drug was not effective at fighting the disease, causes irregular heartbeats, and increased the risk of dying.
France has revoked a decree allowing hydroxychloroquine to be used as a treatment for coronavirus after several studies showed it increased death rates in patients (file image)
On Monday, the World Health Organisation said it was suspending its own trial into the drug because of concerns over its safety.
French doctors were told to stop using the drug outside of trials on Tuesday, shortly before its use was suspended even within trials.
Now, the country has formally withdrawn a decree allowing its use on coronavirus patients in any setting.
Trump said last week that he had been taking hydroxy for around a fortnight after having a conversation about the risks with his doctor.
On Wednesday he said he would finish taking the medication in 'a couple of days'.
He had repeatedly touted the drug's use against coronavirus, even going so far as to suggest it was a possible 'cure.'
That is despite the fact that medics within his own administration have repeatedly advised people against taking it.
He is not the only world leader to have touted the medication.
On Wednesday the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, revealed he is taking the drug and claimed 'most' world leaders are also using it as a preventative measure.
Donald Trump (left) and Nayib Bukele (right), the president of El Salvador, have both claimed to be taking the drug in order to protect against the disease
Jair Bolsonaro, president of Brazil, has also touted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment - prompting his health minister to resign
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is now presiding over one of the world's most severe coronavirus outbreaks, has also promoted hydroxy as a treatment.
Bolsonaro said last week that the country's interim health minister would publish new guidelines recommending the drug as a treatment despite the risks.
It comes after the former health minister, Dr Nelson Teich, resigned from the post after warning against the move.
Hydroxychloroquine is typically used to treat malaria and lupus and accumulates in the lungs, leading medics to suspect it could be used for coronavirus.
Worldwide studies into the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine began after French medic Professor Didier Raoult claimed to have seen success while giving patients hydroxychloroquine and antibiotic azithromycin.
However, doctors have questioned the value of Professor Raoult’s study, saying it was poorly designed and based on too small a sample to offer evidence of benefit.
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