Doctors say self-medicating COVID-19 with unapproved drugs is dangerous, potentially deadly

Locals going to Mexico to purchase hydroxychloroquine, a drug not approved by the FDA to treat coronavirus.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - President Trump has been promoting the drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a treatment for coronavirus, despite a lack of clinical evidence of it being an effective treatment.

Currently, there are no FDA approved treatments for the coronavirus.

Instead of stopping the spread of COVID-19, doctors say people are coming up with dangerous ways to self medicate.

Many people do not know whether or not they have the virus.

Dr. Kristina Diaz is a family practice physician at Yuma Regional Medical Center.

She says many of her patients are dealing with increased anxiety about contracting coronavirus.

After new research suggested hydroxychloroquine could potentially be used as a treatment for the novel coronavirus, Dr. Diaz says locals are crossing into Mexico to stock up on what they believe is a cure.

“You can walk across [the border into Mexico] actually and go pick it up like your blood pressure medicine,” Diaz said.

Adding, “[People] are taking [hydroxychloroquine] on their own, not knowing what the true dose would’ve been or what kind of medication they should not take with it.”

Hydroxychloroquine has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the virus.

It's a medication used to treat specific illnesses like malaria and lupus.

As with any drug, if not prescribed by a physician, it can be dangerous.

Diaz said, “[Hydroxychloroquine] can be interacting with a medication that you already take. We also don’t want you to take antibiotics if you don’t need them. [Hydroxychloroquine] can cause you to get diarrhea or become very ill.”

In March, a Phoenix-area man died while attempting to self medicate himself for the coronavirus.

He and his wife, who is currently in critical condition, both took a form of chloroquine.