Woman with lupus denied prescription medication while doctors use it on coronavirus patients

45-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus said she is being denied her medication while docotrs use it to treat “critically ill” coronavirus patients. The medication in question, hydroxychloroquine is currently on worldwide shortage due to its use to treat the novel coronavirus.

Speaking to Buzzfeed News, the woman, who goes by her first name Dale, said that she “started crying” when she received the message which thanked her for her “sacrifice” of her medication.

Dale, who lives in Los Angeles has been taking the medication for over a decade.

“I am already immunocompromised, and not taking this medication with likely put me into a lupus flare, making serious complications from COVID more likely,” she said.

The message she received from Kaiser stated, “Please do not contact your physician about an exception process to get a refill, as prescriptions will not be filled even if written by your physician. Hydroxychloroquine does build up a level in the system that stays in the body for an average of 40 days even after the last dose is taken. If you do run out of medication and feel your condition is significantly worsening, please contact your doctor to discuss alternative treatments.”

“Thank you for the sacrifice you will be making for the sake of those that are critically ill; your sacrifice may actually save lives,” the message said.

“The fact that they thanked me for my ‘sacrifice’ is disturbing,” Dale added. “I never agreed to sacrifice my health and possibly my life and cannot believe that I am being forced to do so.”