Hydroxychloroquine has been available since 1955 as an antimalarial drug. I have at least 6 patients at the pharmacy who have used hydroxychloroquine to manage their rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Crohn disease. If you were sitting in my pharmacology class, I’d tell you that it is an antimalarial used as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). I would tell you it is a cheap drug with good efficacy for some and also that it is 1 of 2 DMARDs that are safe to use in patients with liver failure. You would also learn that it may cause deposition of the drug in the melanin layer of the cones in the retina, underscoring the need for annual eye exams. (MJH Life Sciences)

DMARDs Not Linked to Poor Outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 RA Patients (Rheumatology Network)

The analysis of performance measures for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care have allowed to identify gaps in care that include suboptimal use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), according to a study published in Arthritis Care & Research. (Rheumatology Advisor)