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FDA retracts on use of Hydroxy-chloroquine The agency determined that the legal criteria for issuing an EUA are no longer met. Based on its ongoing analysis of the EUA and emerging scientific data, the FDA determined that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are unlikely to be effective in treating COVID-19 for the authorised uses in the EUA. Additionally, in light of ongoing serious cardiac adverse events and other potential serious side effects, the known and potential benefits of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine no longer outweigh the known and potential risks for the authorised use. This is the statutory standard for issuance of an EUA, says an FDA press release on Monday. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services originally requested the EUA covering chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and the FDA granted the EUA on March 28, 2020 based on the science and data available at the time. Today, in co...

Govt all set to extend MPs’ privileges to their family members Presently under Section 10, every MP is provided during a year with such vouchers worth Rs300,000 to enable them to travel at any time without payment of any fare by PIA or by Pakistan Railways. Under the same section, a member who does not wish to be provided with such a voucher shall be paid an allowance, which bears the same proportion to the value of the vouchers he would have been entitled to. According to the same section, in addition to the voucher facility, each MP is entitled to 25 business class open return air tickets from the airport nearest to his constituency to Islamabad. The proposed amendment now seeks that the spouse and children up to 18 years of age of a member of parliament can also utilise these tickets for travelling within the country. Sources said that the voucher facility is already utilised by the MPs for their family members but now the government through an amendment wants a further ex...