New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that drug trials to test coronavirus
treatments will begin in the state Tuesday, after President Trump on Thursday said the Food and Drug Administration approved one of the drugs for clinical trials, as New York becomes the epicenter for the pandemic in the U.S.
During a Sunday press briefing, Cuomo said 750,000 doses of
chloroquine, 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine and 10,000 doses of Zithromax were acquired by New York state for the trial.
Chloroquine (an anti-malaria drug) and hydroxychloroquine (used for lupus and arthritis) were approved by the FDA for clinical trials as possible coronavirus treatments, while Zithromax is a brand-name antibiotic.
"The president is optimistic about these drugs and we are all optimistic that it could work," Cuomo said.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said Friday that the drug's promise was "anecdotal," adding, "It was not done in a controlled clinical trial. So you really can't make any definitive statement about it."
Trump said Thursday that he spoke with Cuomo about chloroquine prior to the FDA's go-ahead for clinical trials, and that Cuomo wanted to be "first in line" for testing the treatments.