2021 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 217
BY SENATOR FESI
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, health care services division, to jointly report
on the use and results of hydroxychloroquine for treating patients and individuals
covered by an Office of Group Benefits health plan relative to COVID-19.
WHEREAS, Senate Resolution No. 28 of the 2020 Second Extraordinary Session of
the Legislature requested the Louisiana Department of Health to report on the use and results
of hydroxychloroquine for treating patients and individuals covered by an Office of Group
Benefits health plan relative to COVID-19 for a control period of March 2020 through
October 2020 and to submit a report to the Senate by December 1, 2020; and
WHEREAS, in response to Senate Resolution No. 28, the Louisiana Department of
Health advised of its inability to complete the required report due to funding and clinical
research needed; that it did not consider the resolution as a health care- and clinical- related
policy, but rather clinical and academic research, that the department did not have the
capacity nor the in-house expertise to conduct a clinical study, and that the department was
concerned that some data points would be unavailable or difficult to obtain, as in the case
where medication was donated or it was used in outpatient treatment; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center -
New Orleans, health care services division, is to work and team collaboratively with other
organizations to advance quality and efficiency in care delivery and positively impact health
and health care for Louisiana's citizens; and
WHEREAS, hydroxychloroquine, also known as hydroxychloroquine sulfate, was
approved for medical use in the United States in 1955; and
WHEREAS, hydroxychloroquine is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and
can be used to prevent malaria; and
WHEREAS, hydroxychloroquine has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19
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and has been the focus of several randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials across
the United States and parts of Canada; and
WHEREAS, according to the Louisiana Department of Health, as of October 19,
2020, there have been 2,594,376 COVID-19 tests administered; 175,982 confirmed
COVID-19 diagnoses; and 5,566 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Louisiana.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby urge and request the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, health care services division, to report on
the use and results of hydroxychloroquine for treating patients and individuals covered by
an Office of Group Benefits health plan relative to COVID-19.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report shall include the following
information for a control period of March 2020 through October 2020:
(1) The number of patients and individuals covered by an Office of Group Benefits
health plan who were taking hydroxychloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or to
prevent malaria during the control period and tested positive for COVID-19.
(a) Of those recipients who tested positive for COVID-19, how many were
hospitalized and what was the duration of the hospitalization.
(b) Of those recipients who tested positive for COVID-19, how many deaths occurred
whether hospitalized or not.
(2) The number of patients and individuals covered by an Office of Group Benefits
health plan who were not taking hydroxychloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or to
prevent malaria during the control period, tested positive for COVID-19, and were treated
with hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 post-exposure prophylaxis.
(a) Of those recipients treated with hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19
post-exposure prophylaxis, how many were hospitalized and what was the duration of the
hospitalization.
(b) Of those recipients treated with hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19
post-exposure prophylaxis, how many deaths occurred, whether hospitalized or not.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report to the Senate shall be provided no
later than December 1, 2021.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and to the chancellor of Louisiana State
University Health Sciences Center - New Orleans, health care services division.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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