Safety of COVID-19 Patients and Use of Medicines without Scientific Evidence of Their Benefit

COVID-19 treatment options currently under study include several antiviral drugs and immune modulators, the antimalarials chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, convalescent plasma, pharmaceutical products that target the renin-angiotensin system, hyperbaric oxygen, and nitric oxide, among many others. However, except for remdesivir, which underwent a clinical trial that showed some preliminary positive results, a systematic review by the Pan American Health Organization has so far failed to identify a treatment option that can effectively address the causative agent of COVID-19. The same can be said with regard to prophylaxis. PAHO and WHO are regularly publishing up-to-date summaries of available evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions.