Pharma company founded by Indian-Americans donates hydroxychloroquine tablets in US

A New Jersey-based generic pharmaceutical company, co-founded by two Indian-Americans has donated millions of hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets to Louisiana, New York and Texas to help COVID19 patients.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals has pledged to donate 400,000 hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets to the State of Louisiana to help respond to the COVID-19 health emergency, according to a press release dated March 30 from Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.

However, the US government's top infectious disease specialist Anthony Fauci has been vocal about his concern that there is not enough evidence to suggest that Hydroxychloroquine is the drug that cures COVID19.

The release said that the large donation will go toward clinical trials and patient treatment in Louisiana.

Hydroxychloroquine, an old and inexpensive drug used to treat malaria, is seen as a viable therapeutic solution by President Trump to coronavirus that has so far killed more than 10,000 Americans and infected over 3.6 lakh within weeks.

Bridgewater, New Jersey-headquartered Amneal was founded in 2002 by Chirag Patel and Chintu Patel, who are also the Co-CEOs.

Amneal has donated millions of hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets in total to states other than Louisiana, including New York and Texas, and stated they will provide more as needed. The company also announced donations of products directly to hospitals across the country, the release added.

The press release from the Louisiana Attorney General quoted Chirag and Chintu Patel as saying that all of us at Amneal are committed to supporting our communities in the global fight against COVID-19. We are working with urgency to assist the hardest hit states and hospitals around the country to benefit as many patients as possible during this critical time."