Hydroxychloroquine usage for coronavirus climbs while plasma rated most effective: Global study

The percentage of physicians prescribing hydroxychloroquine to treat the novel coronavirus has shot up, but plasma from those who have recovered is now rated the most effective treatment for COVID-19 patients, according to an international poll.

The Week 2 data from Sermo, a global health care polling company, released Wednesday found that 44% of physicians reported treating or having seen coronavirus patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, up from 33% in the Week 1 survey posted April 2.

“The treating physician percentage for Hydroxychloroquine went up across the board globally,” said the survey analysis. “COVID treaters reported having prescribed or seen Hydroxychloroquine prescribed increase by 11% (from 33% to 44%) week over week and Azithromycin increase by 9% (from 41% to 50%).”

In addition, “Italy had the highest increase in having prescribed or seen Hydroxychloroquine prescribed (from 50% to 71%). Reported usage in New York nearly doubled (23% to 40%), week over week.”

The most commonly prescribed treatments were azithromycin (50%), hydroxychloroquine (44%) and bronchodilators (36%).

The study of 5,000 physicians, 1,662 of whom had been involved in COVID-19 cases, found only 5% had used plasma from patients who had recovered from COVID-19, and 11% had seen others use it, but 52% of those gave it a 4 or 5, or “very or extremely effective,” on a scale of 0-5.

“Plasma, however, is reported as one the least utilized treatments, suggesting either a lack of availability, scalability, or awareness,” said the analysis.

Thank you to the 6K+ physicians who have already participated in our COVID-19 Real Time study. Together we are providing a valuable feed of insights to help inform and educate: https://t.co/vMC1rvvt7m pic.twitter.com/e3sOXdh4wm

— Sermo (@Sermo) April 8, 2020

After plasma came hydroxychloroquine (38%) and “non-approved drugs,” including Remdesivir (37%) among doctors who had used or seen the drugs used. Azithromycin and other antibiotics were rated “very or extremely effective” by 25%.

In the Week 1 survey, hydroxychloroquine was ranked the most effective treatment (37%) by 2,171 doctors involved in caring for coronavirus patients, while 7% named plasma.

“We are humbled by the tireless work of doctors on the front lines and their contribution, enabling us to collect this data and make it universally available,” Sermo CEO Peter Kirk said in a statement. “To all the doctors who are participating, in aggregate you form the powerful voice of doctors globally.”

The survey conducted from March 30-April 2 polled physicians from 30 countries, including the United States, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Mexico and Canada, as well as from South America and Europe.