Trump pitches for fast-tracking anti-malarials to treat coronavirus; FDA on defensive

US President Donald Trump said his administration will be fast-tracking anti-malarial drugs for use as a treatment against the coronavirus.

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"We're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately, and that's where the FDA has been so great," Trump said.

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The president called on the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to streamline its regulatory approval process.

"We have to remove every barrier," Trump said, adding, "It could be a game-changer or maybe not."

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However, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said: "If there is an experimental drug that is potentially available, a doctor could ask for that drug to be used in a patient. We have criteria for that and very speedy approval for that."

"As an example, many Americans have read studies and heard media reports about this drug chloroquine, which is an anti-malarial drug," the FDA chief added.

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"That's a drug that the president directed us to take a closer look at, as to whether an expanded use approach to that could be done to actually see if that benefits patients."

Although tests had begun in Seattle on finding a vaccine to fight coronavirus but there is still now clear direction on finding a solution.

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine which are the synthetic forms of quinine has been used to treat malaria in many cases.

However, several experts have said more research is needed on finding a creditable solution.