The New Jersey Doctor Patient Alliance, a non-profit association of 350 doctors has lent their voices to New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio’s call for the Administration to immediately rescind its draconian restrictions on doctors and allow them to prescribe hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to their patients.

An alliance of 350 physicians have come out in support of Senator Joe Pennacchio’s efforts to allow doctors in New Jersey to prescribe hydroxychloroquine to treat patients with coronavirus symptoms who have not yet tested positive.(SenateNJ.com)

In a letter signed by Stavros Christoudias, MD FACS, NJDPA’s board chairman, the group applauded Senator Pennacchio’s leadership in this effort and restated his belief in the “efficacy of hydroxychloroquine as a suppressant of the disease.”

The letter states the importance of early treatment to suppress the effects of the virus.  “It is imperative to treat with hydroxychloroquine before the disease load increases in the patient, allowing the coronavirus to spread more rapidly to others,” Senator Pennacchio said.

Dr. Christoudias agrees, saying, “HCQ is the best weapon we have to prevent the disease from progressing to its most severe form in the most vulnerable population who are COVID-19 positive.”

“The idea this Administration would make it difficult for the doctors to treat patients at the earliest stages of this viral infection doesn’t make sense and is dangerous.  The State must allow doctors to treat patients with the tools they have.  Unshackle doctors from these dangerous and arbitrary regulations,” concluded Senator Pennacchio.

Click to view letter to Senator Pennacchio from Dr. Stavros Christoudias, NJDPA Board Chairman.