Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis - vintage wine for every new bottle?

Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine have been in use for more than 75 years with a satisfactory safety profile, for malaria and autoimmune disorders. They have been repositioned for the prophylaxis or treatment of emerging viral disorders like SARS Co-V, MERS and now in SARS-CoV2, which ,in a few months, has caused havoc globally. Drugs used in earlier epidemics are being tried again and HCQ is in the forefront for its anti-viral and immune modulatory properties. It has shown good results in vitro and few observational studies, but there are objections that it has not been proved in randomised control trials, which was difficult in the initial pandemonium .However, more than 150 trials have now been registered and the picture will be clearer. HCQ has stood the test of the controversies and must be the most trending molecule currently-whether the fanfare from the President of America or it’s temporary suspension and re-inclusion in the WHO Solidarity trial! The apex body of India, ICMR, has stood by it through thick and thin and has expanded its advisory for the prophylactic use of HCQ in SARS-CoV2.It has also started a trial for evaluating its use in prophylaxis. Most of the reports so far are related to its therapeutic utility, but the doses used globally are variable. This article reviews the profile of HCQ and its status in preventing infection or severity of SARS-CoV2 and focuses on its prophylactic role.