Georgia gets 200K free doses of anti-coronavirus drug

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- A drug maker has sent Georgia 200,000 free doses of a drug that has shown promise in fighting coronavirus.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc., one of the largest U.S.-based generics manufacturers, has donated the hydroxychloroquine sulfate to Georgia’s Department of Public Health for potential use in treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The drug is used to treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other autoimmune diseases. It has recently been identified as a possible treatment for COVID-19, although some experts say success is not certain due to the limited scope of studies.

The federal government has requested its immediate availability

Georgia is one of the first states to have received a donation of hydroxychloroquine sulfate from Amneal, which is also sending products directly to hospitals across the nation.

The development was announced by Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.)

“On behalf of the people of Georgia, I want to thank Amneal Pharmaceuticals for this incredible donation,” Collins said in a statement. “This medication could be pivotal in Georgia’s fight against COVID-19 and could potentially save thousands of lives across our state.”

Chirag Patel, Co-CEO of Amneal, said: “All of us at Amneal Pharmaceuticals are committed to assisting our communities in the global fight against COVID-19.”