Hydroxychloroquine Shortage Concerns Those Dependent on Drug

Why the drug's supply could be impacted by coronavirus and what that might mean for those who take it.

NATS IF ANNAPETERSON ISN'TPLAYING WITH HERTWO LITTLE DOGSOR TRYING TO FINDSOMETHING FUN TODO DURINGQUARANTINE, THE13 YEAR OLD FROMCOUNCIL BLUFFS ISBUSY TAKING CAREOF HER HEALTH.3 YEARS AGO WHENANNA WAS JUST 10YEARS OLD, SHEWAS DIAGNOSEDWITH A LIFE-ALTERING DISEASE.MOM "THERE'S NOWAY.THIS ISN'T ACHILDHOODDISEASE.IT MUST BE WRONG,MUST BESOMETHING ELSE."AFTER MONTHS OFTESTING, ANNA WASDIAGNOSED WITHLUPUS, A DISEASETHAT AFFECTS THEJOINTS, SKIN ANDOTHER PARTS OFTHE BODY.THERE IS NO CURE,BUT THE DRUGHYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, HELPSTREAT HER JOINTPAIN, BREAKOUTSAND FEVER.SHE TAKES ITEVERYDAY.MOM "SHE'S BEENON IT PRETTY MUCHSINCE SHE WASFIRST DIAGNOSED."NOW THE DRUGHAS BEENFLOATING AROUNDAS A POSSIBLETREATMENT FORCOVID-19.BUT THE RESEARCHIS NOTCONCLUSIVE."THE DATA AREVERY VERYSCARCE, THESTUDIES WEREVERY, VERY SMALLAND I DON'TBELIEVE THAT THEYWERE ABLE TOREPLICATE SOMEOF THE SUCCESS INTHE FIRST STUDY."THIS HAS CAUSEDFALSE HOPE ANDGREAT DEMANDFOR THE DRUG,WHICH ALSOTREATSRHEUMATOIDARTHRITIS ANDMALARIA."I THINK THATTHERE'S A LOT OFPEOPLE THATWOULD LIKE TOHAVE SOME ATHOME JUST INCASE.BUT WHAT WE'REACTUALLY SEEINGINITIALLY IS ASHORTAGE FOR THEPEOPLE WHO HAVEBEEN TAKINGHYDROXYCHOLOROQUIN FOR IT'SFDA APPROVEDUSES." AND THATSHORTAGE IN IOWA,NEBRASKA ANDACROSS THECOUNTRY ,CANAFFECT PEOPLEWHO ALREADYDEPEND ON THEDRUG.ANNA WAS ABLE TOGET HERPRESCRIPTIONREFILLED, BUT IFPEOPLE CONTINUEMISUSING THEDRUG AS APOSSIBLETREATMENT ORPREVENTATIVEMEASURE FORCOVID-19, IT WILLAFFECT THE LIVESOF MANY."IT WOULD BEPRETTYDETRIMENTAL.I MEAN SHE WOULDGET HER FLAREUPS AGAIN, HERJOINT PAIN AGAIN,SHE'D HAVE HERFATIGUE AGAIN, HERSKIN RASHES." FORNOW ANNA ISHEALTHY ANDSTRONG, SO SHECAN ENJOY HERQUARANTINE WITHHER TWO LITTLEDOGS AND HERFAMILY BY HERSIDE.REPORTING INCOUNCIL BLUFFS,RUTA ULCINAITE,3NN.THE DRUG IS STILLBEING TESTED ANDMISUSE CAN CAUSESEVERE SIDEEFFECTS.THE FDA ISHOWEVERSUPPORTING THEUSE OF HYDROXY,CHLOROQUINE INHOSPITALIZEDPATIENTS WITHCOVID-19 - FORTESTING.