hydroxychloroquine vs remdesivir
Side-by-side comparison of hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Effects of Other Drugs on VEKLURY Due to potential antagonism based on data from cell culture experiments, concomitant use of VEKLURY with chloroquine phosphate or hydroxychloroquine sulfate is not recommended [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) and Microbiology (12.4) ].
Recommendation: This combination is not recommended. Your healthcare provider should avoid giving you these two drugs at the same time.
Plaquenil
Veklury
Hydroxychloroquine is a drug used to treat or prevent malaria, and to treat certain autoimmune diseases. It works by interfering with the immune system and by killing malaria parasites.
Remdesivir (Veklury) is an antiviral medicine used to treat COVID-19. It helps stop the virus from multiplying in your body.
This medicine can treat uncomplicated malaria caused by certain parasites. It can also prevent malaria in areas where the parasites are not resistant to the drug. Hydroxychloroquine also treats rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus.
Remdesivir is used to treat COVID-19 in adults and children who weigh at least 3.3 pounds. It can be used whether you are in the hospital or not. It is for people who have mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and are at high risk of getting very sick, needing to go to the hospital, or dying.
Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial and antirheumatic drug. It is thought to work by interfering with the immune system's activity. It also stops the growth of malaria parasites in red blood cells.
Remdesivir is a type of medicine called a nucleotide analog RNA polymerase inhibitor. This means it blocks the virus from making copies of itself. By stopping the virus from multiplying, it can help you recover from COVID-19.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Fatigue
- • Nausea
- • Increased ALT (a liver enzyme)
- • Increased AST (a liver enzyme)
- Rheumatoid arthritis 12,921
- Pain 10,409
- Joint pain 9,276
- Tiredness 8,853
- Swollen joint 8,528
- Alanine Aminotransferase Increased 933
- Covid-19 896
- Death 751
- Bradycardia 651
- Aspartate Aminotransferase Increased 627
This drug can cause heart problems, including a weakened heart muscle and irregular heartbeats. It can also cause irreversible damage to your retina, so regular eye exams are needed. This medicine can also cause serious skin reactions. If you have psoriasis or porphyria, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine. It can also cause liver and kidney problems.
Remdesivir can cause serious side effects, including allergic reactions and liver problems. Allergic reactions can happen during or after the infusion. Tell your doctor right away if you have signs like low or high blood pressure, fast or slow heart rate, fever, trouble breathing, wheezing, swelling, rash, nausea, sweating, or shaking. Your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver before and during treatment. Tell your doctor if you have any signs of liver problems like yellowing of the skin or eyes.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This drug can cross the placenta, but studies haven't shown a risk of major birth defects. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant. Hydroxychloroquine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking remdesivir. Studies have not shown an increased risk of birth defects or miscarriage when taken during the second or third trimester. It is not known if it is safe to take during the first trimester.
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How to Read This hydroxychloroquine vs remdesivir Comparison
hydroxychloroquine is classified in the Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) drug class, while remdesivir sits within the Nucleotide Analog (Antiviral) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, hydroxychloroquine has 49,987 submissions while remdesivir has 3,858. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to hydroxychloroquine can interfere with how remdesivir works against the virus. this means the antiviral treatment might not be able to fight the infection effectively.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.