ABSTRACT
To the Editor—The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has attracted widespread attention to experimental treatments, including the antirheumatic drug hydroxychloroquine, raising concerns about its supply for patients already taking the drug for non–COVID-19 indications.1 Currently, multiple manufacturers have reported shortages of hydroxychloroquine.2 We report an exploratory analysis of hydroxychloroquine prescribing in outpatient and urgent care clinics of a large academic health system in northern California. The CDC guidance has recommended that patients request larger prescription drug quantities to minimize pharmacy visits.3 However, the American College of Rheumatology has suggested limiting outpatient prescription refills of hydroxychloroquine to a 30-day supply as a potential mitigation strategy for any supply disruptions in select circumstances.4 Our analysis was observational in nature, and further interpretation is limited by several factors. [...]these results are unique to practice paradigms of a single health system and are subject to regional epidemiology of COVID-19.