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For Patients: A Shared Decision-Making Tool (HCQ-SAFE©) to Support Decisions Around Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

What is HCQ-SAFE©? Hydroxychloroquine is a key medicine for people with lupus, and you need to take it for a long time. HCQ-SAFE© is an interactive picture guide that will help you understand how the medicine (hydroxychloroquine) works, how it helps with lupus over time, and its rare side effects. Experts and other people with lupus have helped make this guide.

Why should we use HCQ-SAFE© with your doctors? HCQ-SAFE© has been tested in over 300 visits at different clinics by different healthcare workers like nurses, pharmacists, and doctors. Using HCQ-SAFE© helped patients feel:

Confident and supported in their decision to take the medicine.
Clear about the benefits of the medicine.
Safe using the medicine for a long time.
Aware of why an eye exam is needed and when to call the doctor.
Less nervous about using the medicine for a long time, during pregnancy, surgery, or infections.
That their treatment goals matched their values.

Additional questions? Request more information or a laminated version of HCQ-SAFE© for your clinics and patients by emailing the creator of HCQ-SAFE©: Shivani Garg MD PhD at shivani.garg@yale.edu.

Training video: Dr. Shivani Garg has made a short 5-minute training video to guide you on how to use HCQ-SAFE during visits.

Copyrights: HCQ-SAFE© is under a copyright. ©Shivani Garg 2026; Citations and References: Packee...Garg Arthritis Rheum 2026; Garg Lupus BMJ 2023; Garg A&R 2024 (abstract); Request additional information or a laminate version of HCQ-SAFE© for your clinics and patients by emailing the creator of HCQ-SAFE©: Shivani Garg MD PhD, shivani.garg@yale.edu; Please use HCQ-SAFE© without any modifications and cite (Packee...Garg Arthritis Rhuem 2026; Garg Lupus BMJ 2023) the authors in papers, publications, presentations.