Day 1,188: Study of Trump’s coronavirus wonder drug showed higher death rate than no treatment at all
For weeks, desperate for any glimmer of positivity surrounding his administration’s horrific coronavirus response, Donald Trump — not a doctor or scientist — touted a drug cocktail of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin as a game-changer.
Continuing a pattern of speaking out of turn about treatments and timelines, Trump was giving medical advice like he was a licensed medical doctor.
Because he’s the president and millions of supporters will take him at his word no matter how often he lies, many people are likely to rush out and try to procure the medications he referenced.
But that’s incredibly dangerous, say actual infectious disease doctors.
Real doctors noted that there were many potential serious side effects to taking the drugs and people should only do so under the supervision of a doctor.
Despite that, Trump’s incessant yammering about the drugs led to a run of people hoarding HCQ. That left a critical shortage for people who actually needed the drug for life-threatening conditions.
In pushing for people to take the drug, Trump noted he was a “smart guy” and he “fel[t] good about it.” He urged Americans, “What do you have to lose?”
Now, as evidence trickles in, it appears there’s a lot to lose.
The biggest study to date showed HCQ to be virtually worthless, and maybe deadly in the fight against coronavirus. More hospitalized patients died after being given the drug in addition to standard care versus those only receiving standard care.
Researchers analyzed medical records of 368 male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11.
About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone. About 22% of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too, but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival.
Around the world, doctors are discontinuing similar medications as well.
Earlier this month, scientists in Brazil stopped part of a study testing chloroquine, an older drug similar to hydroxychloroquine, after heart rhythm problems developed in one-quarter of people given the higher of two doses being tested.
Doctors pumped the brakes on the enthusiasm for HCQ early on. Trump hit the gas pedal, urging people to take an unproven medication for a disease that continues to confound actual professionals in the field.
1,188 days in, 274 to go
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