Evidence of benefit and therapeutic decision: survey of general practitioners on the prescription of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19. Self-questionnaire survey

Background. While waiting for the results of the first major therapeutic trials on COVID-19 treatments, doctors were divided on the issue of the immediate use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Aims. The main objective of this study was to assess the intention of general practitioners to prescribe HCQ to COVID-19 patients. Secondary objectives were to assess variations in this prescribing rate after the publication of the results of the Discovery trial, based on parameters related to the disease, the prescribing situation, or the prescriber. Methods. Practice survey carried out by a cross-sectional observational study, by online self-questionnaire, from 7 to 21 April 2020, among liberal general practitioners university Claude Bernard Lyon 1, internship supervisors. Results. 483 doctors were interviewed, and 185 questionnaires (38.3%) were received. 23% of general practitioners who responded to the survey said they would prescribe HCQ, 15% on an outpatient basis. 9.4% said they would only prescribe it if the patient insisted on it, and after informed information. The prescription rate increased according to the severity of the clinical situation, the intrinsic severity of the disease, and the nature of the beneficiary of the prescription, with an increase when prescribing to the doctor himself or to one of his relatives. Prescribers were significantly older than non-prescribers (54 vs 46 years [p = 0.002]). Conclusion. The dominant attitude of the interviewed physicians is a therapeutic decision based on high-quality validated proof of benefit, and therapeutic abstention in its absence.