Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update

FDA is an active partner in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response, working closely with our government and public health partners across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and with our international counterparts. Actions by the FDA in our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last week include:

• March 31, 2020 - Daily Roundup including information about diagnostics and new warning letters
• March 30, 2020 - Daily Roundup including new Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) and enforcement policies to help expand the availability and capability of sterilizers, disinfectant devices and air purifiers, and expand the availability of gowns and other protective apparel
• March 30, 2020 - FDA Continues to Accelerate Development of Novel Therapies for COVID-19 - Also see: Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP)
• March 30, 2020: FDA expedites review of diagnostic tests to combat COVID-19
• March 29, 2020 - HHS accepts donations of medicine to Strategic National Stockpile as possible treatments for COVID-19 patients - FDA issues EUA for donated hydroxychloroquine sulfate, chloroquine phosphate
• March 28, 2020 - FDA takes further steps to help mitigate supply interruptions of food and medical products
• March 27, 2020 - Daily Roundup on topics including diagnostics, guidance for manufacturers to make sure that they continue to notify FDA of any permanent discontinuance or interruption of drug and biological product manufacturing in a timely manner, and a letter to stakeholders about the imminent threat to the health of consumers who may take chloroquine phosphate products used to treat disease in aquarium fish, thinking the products are interchangeable with FDA-approved drugs (used to treat malaria and certain other conditions in humans) that are being studied as a COVID-19 treatment for humans.
• March 27, 2020 - Consumer Update: Food Safety and Availability During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• March 27, 2020 - Consumer Update: Safely Using Hand Sanitizer
• March 27, 2020 - FDA takes action to help increase U.S. supply of ventilators and respirators for protection of health care workers, patients
• March 26, 2020 - Daily Roundup, including questions and answers related to consumer use of hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 public health emergency
• March 25, 2020 - Daily Roundup, including guidances for industry, and an EUA (PDF) for ventilators, anesthesia gas machines modified for use as ventilators, and positive pressure breathing devices modified for use as ventilators (collectively referred to as "ventilators"), ventilator tubing connectors, and ventilator accessories.