The Russian government has authorized the treatment of coronavirus infection with an antimalarial drug

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin instructed the National Medical Research Center for Cardiology to donate Hydroxychloroquine to organizations that treat patients with coronavirus free of charge. The corresponding order is published on the portal of legal acts.

Hydroxychloroquine is used for rheumatoid arthritis and malaria, and its effectiveness against coronavirus infection has not been confirmed. The drug has side effects. Meduza wrote extensively about hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19 here .

According to Interfax, 68 thousand packages of hydroxychloroquine were donated by the Chinese company Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co. The agency clarifies that the medicine is not registered in Russia.

• The BBC Russian Service reported that doctors from subordinate medical institutions in Moscow were invited to take part in a study of hydroxychloroquine as a drug for the prevention of COVID-19.