Through order 7097/2020 issued today, the Italian Council of State says yes to the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19, provided it is prescribed by a doctor. The order also confirms the decision of the pharmaceutical agency to exclude the drug from reimbursement.
Doing so, the Council of State accepts, as a precautionary measure, the appeal of a group of general practitioners and suspends the recommendation of the Aifa (Italian Medicine Agency) of 22 July 2020 which previously prohibited the prescription of hydroxychloroquine outside of the government health agencies authorization as a treatment against Covid-19. (i.e. for use not included in the drug’s instructions, aka “off-label”).