Prescription Rate of Hydroxychloroquine Varies Widely

Hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that has been touted for its benefits in treating COVID-19 patients by President Donald Trump, has come under scrutiny in the U.S. after many health professionals have spoken out about the limited evidence that the substance helps coronavirus patients.

Doctors in Germany and the UK seem to agree with these statements most, as Hydroxychloroquine is prescribed for COVID-19 less often in these countries. In the U.S., almost 40 percent of doctors said they had used the medication.

Globally, half of doctors said they had used hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.

This is according to a survey carried out by healthcare data company Sermo. 6,200 physicians in 30 countries were questioned and, with at least 250 doctor per country for which individual data was released, the study has a +/- 6 percent precision. The makers of the study also noted that prescription rates had been rising fast since they first carried out the study in late March.

In countries hit hard by coronavirus in Europe – Italy and Spain – doctors prescribed the medication most often. It was the most commonly used drug to treat COVID-19 together with antibiotics (used by 83 and 89 percent of doctors, respectively) in these countries, while in Germany and the UK, doctors relied more heavily on antibiotics and bronchial dilators.