Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have shown promising results against the coronavirus. - GERARD JULIEN / AFP

  • A decree signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health authorizes the prescription of hydroxychloroquine, and of the combination lopinavir / ritonavir against Covid-19.
  • But faced with the craze aroused by hydroxychloroquine and the risk of stock shortage, the decree also regulates its sale in pharmacies, only as part of an initial prescription, and not against Covid-19

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Minister of Health, Olivier Veran, signed a decree on Thursday authorizing the prescription of several molecules against Covid-19. This decree authorizes in particular the prescription of hydroxychloroquine, but also the association lopinair / ritovanir against Covid-19.

"By way of derogation from article L. 5121-8 of the public health code, hydroxychloroquine and the combination lopinavir / ritonavir may be prescribed, dispensed and administered under the responsibility of a doctor to patients affected by covid- 19, in the health establishments which take charge of them, as well as, for the continuation of their treatment if their condition allows it and with the authorization of the initial prescriber, at home ”, details the decree.

The sale of supervised hydroxychloriquin

It therefore goes further than the High Council for Public Health, which recommended mid-week use of hydroxychloroquine for the most serious cases of Covid-19 infection. A first victory for Professor Didier Raoult of the IHU of Marseille, who advocated the use of this molecule to treat Covid-19.

As part of the health emergency, hydroxychloroquine may be prescribed to treat COVID-19. Thanks to @olivierveran for listening.https: //t.co/NX2H6iwI07

- Didier Raoult (@raoult_didier) March 26, 2020

He announced the news on his Twitter account, "thanking Olivier Veran for listening". His preliminary work, a study on the effects of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 on twenty patients, caused divisions within the scientific community, between the supporters of Didier Raoult, and his detractors.

The government also regulates by this decree the dispensing of Plaquenil, one of the main drugs containing hydroxychloroquine, by pharmacies. "The pharmaceutical specialty Plaquenil and preparations based on hydroxychloroquine may only be dispensed by community pharmacies as part of an initial prescription issued exclusively by specialists in rheumatology, internal medicine, dermatology, nephrology, neurology or pediatrics or as part of a prescription renewal from any doctor, ”details the decree. You will therefore only be able to obtain hydroxychloroquine for the initial prescriptions, and not against Covid-19. A decision to avoid stock-outs in the face of the craze generated by the molecule.

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  • Decree
  • Treatment
  • Covid 19
  • Coronavirus
  • Health
  • Society
  • Didier raoult
  • Drug