Scrutinized malaria drug purchase to be refunded in Utah

Utah will be refunded $800,000 it spent to buy malaria drugs once touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus despite warnings from doctors, officials said Wednesday.

Leaders in both Utah and Oklahoma have faced scrutiny for spending millions of dollars combined to purchase the drugs many other states obtained for free.

Republican Gov. Gary Herbert said the pharmacy has agreed to the refund, and an internal review found no wrongdoing in the no-bid contract with the Utah compounding pharmacy Meds in Motion. It was made at a time when it appeared the drug might help and there could be shortages of it, he said. Since then, though, warnings have mounted from the Food and Drug Administration and others.

"All involved acted proactively, preemptively and prudently during an emergency in an effort to save lives" and got a “fair price” for the medication, Hebert said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.thespectrum.com/story/news/2020/04/30/utah-receive-refund-controversial-malaria-drug-purchase/3054998001/
(St. George, The Spectrum)