Table 2.
CQ and HCQ recommendations
| Treatment | Treatment dose | Recommendation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO (27th May 2020) | CQ or HCQ +/− Azithromycin | NA | Do not use as treatment or prophylaxis for COVID-19, outside of clinical trials. HCQ arm of solidarity trial resumed on 3rd June after a temporary stop |
| AIFA (29th May 2020) | HCQ alone or in combination with other drugs | Low doses are suggested, possibly for no more than 5–7 days | Do not use as treatment of prophylaxis outside of clinical trials |
| SIMIT (13th March 2020) | CQ or HCQ | CQ phosphate 500 mg BID for 10 days HCQ 200 mg BID |
Do not use as prophylaxis |
| IDSA (11th April 2020) | CQ / HCQ alone or in combination with Azithromycin | NA | Use CQ/HCQ +/− Azithromycin only in the context of clinical trials among patients hospitalized for COVID/19 |
| FDA (15th June 2020) | CQ or HCQ | NA | Use only in the context of clinical trials. FDA has revoked Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on 15th June after the initial release in March 2020. |
| EMA (1st April 2020) | CQ or HCQ | NA | For patients: Only use chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine under medical prescription and supervision For healthcare providers: Use in clinical trials or in accordance with national established protocols CQ and HCQ should continue to be used in chronic conditions (e.g. rheumatological diseases) |
| SSC (28th March 2020) | CQ or HCQ | NA | There is insufficient evidence to issue a recommendation on the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine as a treatment in critically ill adults with COVID-19 |
| National Health Commission & National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (7th version) | CQ phosphate | Adults aged 18–65 with bodyweight over 50 kg: CQ phosphate 500 mg bid for 7 days; Adults with body weight below 50 kg: 500 mg bid for Days1& 2 and 500 mg SID for Days 3–7 |
Possible use in hospital setting with attention to contraindication and adverse reactions |
The table summarizes the leading recommendations for the use of CQ and HCQ as treatment or prophylaxis for COVID-19.
AIFA: Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco; BID: bis in die, twice a day; EMA: European Medicines Agency; FDA: Food and Drug Administration; IDSA: Infectious Disease Society of America; NA: not available; SID: semel in die, once a day; SIMIT: Società Italiana Malattie Infettive e Tropicali; SSC: Surviving Sepsis Campaign; WHO: World Health Organization.