Tens of millions of Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

In some cases, like Crohn’s disease, IBD can lead to severe diarrhea and life-threatening complications if it’s not treated with medications that reduce inflammation in the gut.

However, some people with IBD can become resistant to anti-inflammatory drugs like hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), reducing their quality of life and making them more prone to dangerous flare-ups in their condition.

Recently, big studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of HCQ treatment in preventing IBD flares among people who are already taking other drugs.

Introduction

The results of two recent clinical trials have dashed the hopes that hydroxychloroquine can treat or prevent COVID-19.

The first study, published in February 2017, found no evidence that hydroxychloroquine could stop the progression of the disease.

The second study, published in May 2017, found that taking high doses of hydroxychloroquine had no effect on reducing the risk of developing symptoms of diabetes.

What Is Hydroxychloroquine?

·        Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug that was initially used to treat the symptoms of malaria.

·        It has also been found to be effective in treating chronic inflammatory diseases, like systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

How Might Hydroxychloroquine Work Against COVID-19?

Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug that has been shown to reduce inflammation and help in the treatment of autoimmune disorders.

The mechanism by which this drug may be effective against COVID-19 is not yet fully understood, but it is possible that the anti-inflammatory effects of hydroxychloroquine could help to suppress any inflammatory responses to the virus.

What Do the Clinical Trials Say About Hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine is an old drug that has been around since the 1950s.

It is used to treat or prevent malaria and other diseases caused by parasites.

It belongs to a class of drugs known as antimalarial agents.

Today, it is still one of the most commonly prescribed treatments for malaria infections in pregnant women and children under 2 years old in developing countries.

In recent years, it's been investigated as a possible treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

There are three randomized clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine that have shown benefits so far, but they all included less than 100 people.

So, Should We Give Up on Hydroxychloroquine?

No, the studies have not been conclusive enough to say that hydroxychloroquine does not work.

However, the studies show that it is not an effective treatment for preventing or treating COVID-19.

In clinical trials, it was ineffective in reducing the severity of disease symptoms, and there is evidence that it may make things worse.

Researchers are now investigating if hydroxychloroquine can be used to treat other diseases.

Conclusion

The results of these two large studies do not provide enough evidence to support the use of hydroxychloroquine as an effective or safe treatment.

More research is needed to evaluate whether it can be useful in preventing the onset of COVID-19.