The European Union is warning that there’s no evidence yet to show that the anti-malaria drug hyped by President Trump is effective in treating the novel coronavirus. “The efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 patients has to date not been proved,” a European Commission spokesperson said Tuesday. The comments came as the EU’s European Medicines Agency noted that chloroquine, along with a handful of other drugs, are undergoing clinical trials to study their use against the coronavirus but emphasized in a statement that as yet “no medicine has yet demonstrated efficacy in treating COVID-19.” 

Separately, the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, the American College of Medical Toxicology, and the American Association of Poison Control Centers released a joint statement warning that the drugs should only be taken under strict supervision of a doctor for valid, FDA-approved uses since both chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine “can result in severe toxicity, including death, when taken in excess or as a result of interactions with other drugs.”