DISINFO: Russia invented a cure for coronavirus
SUMMARY
Russia introduced a drug for the treatment of a new type of coronavirus. The drug is based on the antimalarial drug mefloquine and is also developing an effective and safe system of prevention against coronavirus.
RESPONSE
This is part of the pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign around the coronavirus. According to WHO, to date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The anti-malarial drug mefloquine has been considered as a drug against a new type of coronavirus in several countries. The tests were carried out, for example, by China or France. However, its efficacy has not been verified and extensive clinical trials would have to be carried out for general use. A French medicine watchdog ANSM even has warned of the dangerous side effects of malaria drugs being used against the novel coronavirus due to some crucial side effects that appeared at several patients who used them for self-medication.