President Donald Trump said Monday that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, an unproven treatment for COVID-19 that he has vigorously promoted, NBC News reported.
Trump said that he doesn't believe he was exposed to the virus but that he decided to take the drug after having consulted with the White House physician. He also claimed that essential workers, including doctors and nurses, were taking the drug to prevent contracting the disease caused by the coronavirus.
The Food and Drug Administration has warned against using the drug for COVID-19 outside of hospital settings because of a risk of serious heart problems. There are no approved treatments for COVID-19.
Dr. Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert who is an NBC News and MSNBC contributor, said hydroxychloroquine can cause fatal heart arrhythmia.
"It's definitely not totally safe," Gupta said. "He's putting himself at risk."
Read the full story at NBCNews.com.
