Moralisation of medicines: The case of hydroxychloroquine

Abstract The concept of moralisation health behaviours was introduced in social psychology to describe the attribution moral properties habits and conditions like smoking or being a vegetarian. Moral are powerful motivators for people institutions, as they may trigger blame, stigma, appraisal, well polarisation interest scientific hype. Here I extend illustrate how medicines treatments can be seen if had properties, too, when come regarded good bad sense, not just instrumental sense benefiting harming health. propose hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) controversy 2020 an example medicine. HCQ chloroquine anti-malarial drugs, whose off-label use Covid-19 hotly discussed early months pandemic, both media within community, eventually dismissed robust evidence came out. point paper is show that products influence individual institutional decisions significant ways, also affect research. For these reasons, it should carefully monitored critically assessed.