Did taking hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 harm patients?

A study of reported adverse drug reactions suggests use of the contentious coronavirus treatment is linked to an increase in fatalities

Hydroxychloroquine-related adverse events including deaths surged last year as patients rushed to take the anti-malarial amid early reports it was effective against COVID-19, French research shows.

Demand for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine jumped early in the pandemic after heavy media coverage of uncontrolled trials and in vitro studies suggesting the drugs could be used to treat the virus.