India lifts export ban on hydroxychloroquine

India has lifted a ban on the export of hydroxychloroquine -- the anti-malaria drug that was being studied as possible therapy for coronavirus, according to India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 

“(The earlier order) has been amended to change the export policy of hydroxychloroquine API and its formulations from "Prohibited" to "Free" with immediate effect,” the notification said. 

In March India had banned the export of the drug with some exceptions, followed by a blanket ban in April. 

The announcement comes after the US Food and Drug Administration revoked its emergency use authorization for use of the drug to treat Covid-19 patients this week, saying there was no reason to believe the drug is effective against the virus, and that it “increased the risk of side effects, including heart problems.”  

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said the hydroxychloroquine arm of the agency's Covid-19 Solidarity Trial will end because the drug did not help coronavirus patients.

Source: CNN