France, May 23 -- French health minister Olivier Veran on Saturday asked the country's health council for advice on the use of malaria drug chloroquine against the Covid-19 virus. His remarks come after the publication of an scientific article critical of the use of the substance.

According to an article published by medical journal The Lancet on 22 May, "using chloroquine or (its derivative) hydroxychloroquine to treat patients with Covid-19 might be hazardous", and that the substances have been used "despite proof of efficiency."

The article says that the drugs may be "associated with cardiac toxicity" and influence the heart rate, potentially leading to ventricular fibrillation and, eventually, death.

The Lancet quotes a study by Pr...