what is hydroxychloroquine prescribed for

Hydroxychloroquine is a medication used to treat and prevent malaria caused by mosquito bites. It is also used to treat autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Hydroxychloroquine is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) that regulates the activity of the immune system, which may be overactive in some conditions. It can modify the underlying disease process, rather than simply treating the symptoms. Hydroxychloroquine works by slowing down an overactive immune system. It may take several weeks or months to see improvement if you are taking this for lupus or arthritis. Hydroxychloroquine is not recommended for coronavirus infection, also known as COVID-19, unless you are enrolled in a study. The FDA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) state that hydroxychloroquine should ONLY be taken for the treatment of COVID-19 under the direction of a doctor in a clinical study.