France halts hydroxychloroquine use for COVID-19 cases: govt

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PARIS, May 27, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – French doctors are no longer allowed to use hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 cases, according to new government rules Wednesday, after two French advisory bodies said the drug could pose serious health risks.

Use of the drug, normally a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, has proven controversial after some prominent doctors and even US President Donald Trump began backing it during the coronavirus outbreak, despite a lack of sufficient trials on its effectiveness.