'My physician has not recommended that': Pence is not taking hydroxychloroquine

Vice President Mike Pence said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine after President Trump revealed he is using the drug to protect against the coronavirus. “I’m not. But I would never begrudge any American taking the advice of their physician," Pence told Fox News in an interview Tuesday, according to a pool report. "Hydroxychloroquine is a drug that’s been around for more than 40 years for treatment of malaria. But, early in this process, the FDA approved what’s called off-label use where physicians could prescribe hydroxychloroquine in terms they deemed appropriate," he continued. "So my physician has not recommended that, but I wouldn’t hesitate to take the counsel of my doctor. Any American should do likewise.”

Trump stunned reporters on Monday when he announced he had been taking hydroxychloroquine for nearly two weeks. “I think it’s good. I’ve heard a lot of good stories,” he said. The White House later released a memo from Trump’s physician that said he discussed “the evidence for and against the use of hydroxychloroquine” with the president and “concluded the potential benefit from treatment outweighed the relative risks.” Trump has repeatedly touted the anti-malarial drug as a potential treatment for people who test positive for the coronavirus. Neither Trump nor Pence have tested positive for COVID-19, but several White House staff members have.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning about the drug last month, noting that it caused serious heart rhythm problems in coronavirus patients. “Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19,” the FDA said.

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