Illegal Imports Of Hydroxychloroquine And Chinese Herb, Promoted As COVID-19 Cure, Increase In Australia

Ever since political figures like President Donald Trump have touted hydroxychloroquine as a miracle drug that can cure COVID-19, there have been countless instances of people hoarding the anti-malaria drugs.

In a recent case, tens of thousands of tablets of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were seized by Australian border officials, who have already been busy trying to stop the illegal import of the Chinese herb, ephedra, falsely marketed as a coronavirus treatment.

As per statistics, the illegal import of more than 26,000 tablets of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been stopped by the Australian Border Force between January 1, 2020, and 29 June. The residents of the nation have been warned against importing the banned medicine under the wrong impression that they can stop the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration regulatory body has warned that hydroxychloroquine, if not consumed correctly, can lead to low blood sugar, sudden heart attacks, irreversible eye damage, and may even lead to coma.

It is not just hydroxychloroquine that has been on the Australian Border Force’s radar but also the Chinese herb remedy, ephedra, which had been touted as a surefire method to tackle COVID-19 but banned as it is used in the manufacture of the illegal drug methamphetamine. Consumption of ephedra also results in health problems like seizures, heart attacks, high blood pressure, muscle disorders, strokes, and even death.

There have been several attempts to illegally import the herbal remedy inside Australia and the imports have only increased as, at the beginning of 2020, only 2 kg of the illegal medicine was found, which has progressed to the Australian Border Force seizing 66 kgs in April and May.

"There are serious health risks associated with taking medication that has not been prescribed for you by a medical health professional. It is illegal to bring these substances into Australia without the proper permits and I strongly urge Australians against importing these items,” said Australian Border Force Assistant Commissioner Erin Dale.

West Australia's Premier Mark McGowan has also accused billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer of consistently trying to enter the state even though the coronavirus mandates are still in place and promoting hydroxychloroquine. Evidently, his philanthropic organization has purchase 32 million doses of the drug in April as Palmer believes that “hydroxychloroquine is very effective."

"He wanted to come to Western Australia to promote hydroxychloroquine to the people of the state as some sort of cure for COVID," McGowan told reporters. "He's accepted the Donald Trump view of hydroxychloroquine, which no one with a medical degree as far as I'm aware accepts.”