New Delhi, April 9: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which has been tasked to contain the coronavirus outbreak in the country, on Thursday said that it won’t recommend hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug, for COVID-19 patients unless tests show satisfactory results. The ICMR also maintained that India has still not entered the third stage, which is community transmission, of the coronavirus outbreak. What is Hydroxychloroquine?

"It is important to understand that this (hydroxychloroquine) medicine is not mandatory. Whether it will reduce the infection, will be known only after tests. The doctors are still testing it on symptomatic patients. Until we get satisfactory results, we won’t recommend this to anyone," scientist R Ganga Ketkar from ICMR said at a press conference. The government has maintained that there is no shortage of hydroxychloroquine in the country.

Press Briefing by Health Ministry and ICMR:

Hydroxychloroquine has emerged as the most sought-after drug after preliminary trials in China suggested it boosted recovery and lowered the severity of the coronavirus disease. US President Donald Trump has termed hydroxychloroquine "game-changer" in the fight against COVID-19. According to the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), India manufactures 70 percent of the world's supply of hydroxychloroquine.

India had banned the export of hydroxychloroquine on March 25. Reacting to India's move, Trump on Monday had said: "I don't like that decision, I didn't hear that that was his decision. I know that he stopped it for other countries. I spoke to him yesterday, we had a very good talk and we'll see whether or not that's his...For many years, they've been taken advantage of the US on trade. So I would be surprised if that were his decision. He'd have to tell me that."

"I spoke to him (Narendra Modi) Sunday morning, called him, and I said, we'd appreciate you allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn't allow it to come out. That would be ok. But of course, there may be retaliation. Why wouldn't there be," Trump had added. Later, reports emerged that India has lifted the partial ban on the export of hydroxychloroquine. New Delhi maintained that the ban was lifted in view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 09, 2020 05:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).