Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 3, 2020

A Randomized Trial of Hydroxychloroquine as Postexposure Prophylaxis for Covid-19

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  • A placebo-controlled randomized trial of hydroxychloroquine as post–exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for SARS-CoV-2 found no evidence of efficacy. Among 821 asymptomatic participants, 88% reported a high-risk exposure to a confirmed COVID-19 case. There was no difference in SARS-CoV-2 acquisition between participants receiving hydroxychloroquine (12%) and those receiving placebo (14%).  
  • No serious adverse reactions were reported, although side effects were more common with hydroxychloroquine than with placebo (40% vs. 17%). 

Boulware et al. (June 3, 2020) A Randomized Trial of Hydroxychloroquine as Postexposure Prophylaxis for Covid-19. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2016638