New York county executives want access to the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine that Gov. Andrew Cuomo conceded showed early “effective” responses in COVID-19 virus patients in current clinical trials, which he began allowing within the state two weeks ago.
The Democratic governor told reporters at his daily briefing in Albany on Monday he would ask President Trump to raise the federal supply of hydroxychloroquine to New York pharmacies. This would enable the state to lift the current restriction on purchases of the drug, which Trump has touted as a potential antidote to the coronavirus, which has killed nearly 10,000 people and has much of the nation on lockdown.
“There has been anecdotal evidence that it is promising,” Cuomo said while noting the lack of a formal study.
New York county executives, according to Steve McLaughlin of Rensselaer County, have discussed the issue of with one another and wondered why Cuomo prohibited the treatment from being dispensed to different parts of the state.
“I think most of us would say, ‘Why are our doctors and pharmacists being prevented by Cuomo from even prescribing it?’ Which right now, he put a block on that, and you can’t even really get your hands on it.” McLaughlin told the Washington Examiner. “So, I think most of us are saying, ‘Listen, in a life or death [situation], if somebody is really sick, I think that you’d want them to be able to do it without having to be in Cuomo’s study.’”
Cuomo’s younger brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, contracted the COVID-19 virus and talked about his brother’s bout with the disease, but never indicated to reporters if the CNN host was being treated with the anti-malarial drug.
“Governor, you’re gonna tell me that your brother got really sick, and he didn’t get hydroxychloroquine?” Mclaughlin asked. “Really? We’re supposed to believe that? I doubt it.”
Cuomo’s executive order prohibits pharmacists from dispensing hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine except when the prescription is for a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved indication, part of a state-approved clinical trial related to the COVID-19 virus for a patient who has tested positive for the coronavirus. A positive COVID-19 virus test result must be documented as part of the prescription.
Additionally, the executive order bans hydroxychloroquine for experimental or prophylactic use, and any allowed prescription is restricted to one 14-day prescription with no refills.
Cuomo issued his executive order as New York began statewide clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine in hospitals treating COVID-19 virus patients. Overwhelming demand of the drug led to a shortage, New York’s Newsday reported, of its availability in pharmacies across the country as reports surfaced that some doctors were prescribing the medication for themselves, family members, friends, and healthy patients.
However, Rockland County Executive Ed Day told the Washington Examiner that Cuomo’s executive order to restrict the anti-malarial drug is not helpful in the current pandemic.
“It frustrates the county executives. Look, I have the world’s respect for anybody, including Governor Cuomo, who puts himself out there to lead in a crisis I’m a former police commander, of two departments. So I get that. However, that said, the local counties know more about their own counties than the governor or anybody else in Albany. That is just a fact of life,” Day said.
