RAPID CITY, S.D. (KBHB) — Reporters asked South Dakota health officials to comment Tuesday on problems experienced by the nation of Brazil, in testing hydroxychloroquine, and the variant called chloroquine, which stopped testing the drugs recently.

The Brazil study was comparing a regular-dose and high-dose application of both drugs, and was suspended when many in the high-dose group developed abnormal heartbeats.

Health Secretary Kim Malsom-Rysdon says the trial will involve different types of patients and a standard-dose setting of one drug, hydroxychloroquine.

Malsom-Rysdon says the trial will study early treatment of those diagnosed with COVID-19, and also prevention of contagion for those exposed to COVID-19.

According to Malsom-Rysdon, participants will all be screened for potential adverse effects from hydroxychloroquine.

The South Dakota trial will not involve Chloroquine. Available information shows that Chloroquine carries a number of potentially dangerous side effects, when compared to Hydroxychloroquine, which does have side effects of its own.

The $1.2-million figure which was mentioned earlier this week applies to the total number of hydroxychloroquine doses delivered to South Dakota last weekend, not a total amount of federal money.

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