Hydroxychloroquine has been mentioned quite a bit at COVID-19 press conferences.

“We don’t have any official data yet from a hospital or a quote on quote study,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday.

He says it will take weeks, if not months, to learn if hydroxychloroquine can actually treat COVID-19 patients. But he says anecdotally it’s been positive.

“We’re seeing evidence and data and studies coming out at us so quickly, just is really unprecedented,” said Jessica Farrell, an associate professor at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and clinical pharmacist at The Center for Rheumatology.

She says historically, hydroxychloroquine has been used as an anti-malaria drug and an immune modulator. According to Farrell, particularly for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Farrell says it’s important those patients continue to have access to this drug during this pandemic. With President Trump strongly promoting hydroxychloroquine to be used for COVID-19 patients, she says it needs to be strategically used because there’s not an endless supply of it.

“Thankfully we have patients that are currently on it are able to continue to get it refilled. But we’re starting to see supply issues,” Farrell said.

According to Farrell, based on the evidence available right now, they still don’t really know if it’s truly effective against COVID-19. But she says one positive sign is that it’s has gotten enough recognition to have resources put toward studying it.

“I think as we get that information and that accumulation of data, we’ll be able to have a better idea if this is truly effective,” Farrell said.