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Hydroxychloroquine: Promising COVID-19 Treatment Faces Political Hurdles
The Economic Standard ^ | 05/08/2020 | Erik Sass

Posted on 05/08/2020 5:34:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is part of recommended treatment for COVID-19 in modern healthcare systems around the world, and every day brings new evidence that appears to support this judgment call by overseas public health authorities. Sadly the U.S. is the only country on earth where the drug has become a toxic political football — due entirely to President Trump’s endorsement.

With over 150 trials underway in the U.S. and worldwide to see if HCQ does indeed help COVID-19 patients, we must remove our partisan glasses so we can clearly interpret the results — and maybe even gain valuable insights into the functioning of the virus itself.

In the last few days, new studies have shown improvement in patient outcomes associated with HCQ. A peer-reviewed analysis of 1,061 COVID-19 cases treated with a combination of HCQ and azithromycin in France concluded that early treatment was safe and associated with very low fatality rate. Two more studies, while not yet peer-reviewed, reported that treatment with HCQ was significantly associated with fewer deaths among critically ill COVID-19 patients in China, and that early treatment may have increased survival of COVID-19 patients in Spain.

But you likely won’t hear about any of this. Instead, you’ll probably hear that HCQ doesn’t work, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. The media’s eagerness to exaggerate limited studies like this one — which looked mainly at very sick patients given HCQ and concluded that proper trials are needed — is blinding us to the developing story of the worldwide search for an effective treatment.

From the early days of the pandemic, various countries in Asia and Europe began adopting HCQ as the recommended treatment for COVID-19. We published a review of the international timeline showing President Trump was in step with the global medical mainstream when he recommended these medicines on March 19.

Advanced national health systems were already using HCQ to treat COVID-19 in South Korea, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. (Notably, in Turkey, recovered patients now outnumber active COVID-19 cases.) And the World Health Organization included HCQ in its global study of the most promising drugs to treat COVID-19 on March 11. Today, almost every country impacted by the virus either actively recommends HCQ, allows doctors to prescribe it, or is studying the medicine in clinical trials.

The U.S. discussion simply does not track this global reality. Following mainstream media coverage here, you’d never know that HCQ has long been recognized as a relatively safe medicine, used to treat millions of patients for multiple diseases going back decades.

It is also recognized as having wide potential: even before the COVID-19 pandemic, HCQ was being studied as a potential treatment for all sorts of conditions. The National Clinical Trials database contains hundreds of recent studies of HCQ as a treatment for HIV, hepatitis C, breast cancer, melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, metastatic prostate cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, cystic fibrosis, alopecia, and chronic graft-versus-host disease, as well as thrombosis prevention and post-surgical wound recovery.

Of course, this does not mean HCQ is guaranteed to work against these diseases, or against COVID-19. But it does mean that many doctors and scientists see potential in the drug, which is already widely and safely used both for recognized treatment purposes and in cutting-edge research. It would be irrational to let politics blind us to the potential.

Yet reporters brush aside these facts aside to seize on any news that can fit their preferred narrative, in which Trump touted a potentially harmful medicine and endangered Americans. Not much more seriously, pundits hold up flawed studies — for example, of treating COVID-19 in elderly patients with significant comorbidities — as definitive evidence that HCQ kills.

These media pathologies hurt us all. According to Dr. David Boulware, the FDA’s public announcement to “reiterate importance of close patient supervision” — amplified by the press — had a chilling effect on participation in a University of Minnesota trial he is overseeing.

Top U.S. medical schools, hospitals systems, and respected institutions from the Gates Foundation to the Pentagon are running clinical trials to test HCQ against COVID-19. We should be supporting this process — not rooting for these efforts to fail.

Some of these studies may advance our knowledge of COVID-19 itself. To cite just one example, Dr. Adam Brufsky, a breast cancer specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who is familiar with HCQ from years of use, theorized in the Journal of Medical Virology that the severity of COVID-19 disease — and potentially even its spread from person to person — might be associated with elevated concentrations of sugar molecules in the bloodstream. If further research confirms that HCQ works by interrupting a link between blood sugar and virality, we’ll be one step closer to defeating COVID-19.

When the Germans surrounded Allied soldiers at Dunkirk, a flotilla of private boats — the “Little Ships” — answered the call to help lift them out. Only afterwards could the longer-term process of planning and building the D-Day invasion begin. An undoubted improvisation, HCQ could be one of today’s “Little Ships,” as it is among the few drugs we have now showing promise. We must continue to test it, study the results as they come in and — where doctors judge it appropriate — use it more broadly as treatment. Many around the world, and also here at home, are doing just that. Our national conversation needs to reflect this.

______________________________________________________________________

Erik Sass is Editor-in-Chief of The Economic Standard and author of popular history books.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: covid19; hydroxychloroquine; politics
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1 posted on 05/08/2020 5:34:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I never realized before that Trump Derangement Syndrome was a political hurdle.


2 posted on 05/08/2020 5:37:37 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: SeekAndFind

remdesivir sucks ass not much better than a placebo

yet govtards birx and fauxci push it

because?

they know it sucks compared to hcq and hcq wasn’t supposed to be discovered

it ruins their plans to keep states closed down and it ruins mail in voting pleas and universal income pleas and mandatory vaccines and tagging, and all the other commie bullshiite crap they wanted to push through

hcq is the monkey wrench that stops it

thats why libmedia and dems and these hillary lovers rail against it


3 posted on 05/08/2020 5:38:07 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

RE: remdesivir sucks ass not much better than a placebo

I’m not against anything that works. Remdesivir DOES work under certain conditions.

I am also against opposition to drugs like Hydroxychloroquine that have been DEMONSTRATED to work.

Each of these drugs are part of the arsenal against Covid-19. No need to trash either one.


4 posted on 05/08/2020 5:41:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

.


5 posted on 05/08/2020 5:42:26 PM PDT by sauropod (Quarantine is when you restrict sick people, tyranny is when you restrict healthy people.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Without the zinc, the Trump pills aren’t effective.


6 posted on 05/08/2020 5:44:06 PM PDT by MuttTheHoople (THE)
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To: SeekAndFind

The entire situation with HCQ has become absurdly political which makes it almost impossible to figure out when and how to use it.

The level of discussion about this subject here is the worst I have ever seen and I’ve been here since 1998.

The disease is confusing, really just coming into focus after three months of hell. The window for antiviral action is very narrow, most of what happens is inflammatory and hematologic. How the virus causes this, and why it usually doesn’t remains to be learned. The “HCQ is a miracle drug that saves lives” people have retreated to “you have to give it early”, when, of course, most of these “early” patients are destined to recover with no treatment.

I’m reviewing 88 patients next week and if I learn anything I will comment.


7 posted on 05/08/2020 5:45:15 PM PDT by Jim Noble (There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know)
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To: MuttTheHoople

The physician I’ve talked with uses HCQ, with the Z-pack (antibiotic for secondary infections), and Zinc. His belief is that the zinc may not be helpful, but it is definitely not harmful. In a hospital setting in this case.

He’s been directly involved with several cases.

Oh, there is some promise that the Trump pills might provide some prophylaxis as well, and I believe that a few in the medical community may be taking it for that purpose.


8 posted on 05/08/2020 5:53:18 PM PDT by meyer (WWG1WGA, MAGA! The DNC virus is much deadlier than the Wu Han Flu.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I only read the first several paragraphs. It is not just the US where there is foot dragging about hydroxychloroquine. Here in Kanadahar, you hear virtually NOTHING about it. Why? Because TDS is even bigger here than the US MSM!

Before the last election, True-dope gave $700 MILLION CDN to OUR MSM, to ‘help them during these challenging, turbulent times of media upheaval’. (Note: NOT a direct quote from government or True-dope.) So basically, the MSM is beholding to True-dope. Since True-dope can’t stand President Donald J. Trump, and PDJT talked about success with hydroxychloroquine, therefore True-dope NEVER talks about it and, like the lap dogs they are, the MSM in Kanadahar say NOTHING about the successes of this old, established drug.

If the lack of use of this drug in Kanadahar results in more deaths? They figure ‘So what?!’ Just more dead old farts. What do they, or the 45 year old man-child Prime Mistake care? It doesn’t affect them. Unfortunately, we have no such thing as impeachment.


9 posted on 05/08/2020 6:01:00 PM PDT by A Formerly Proud Canadian (I once was blind but now I see...)
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To: SeekAndFind

The only problem with Hydroxychloroquine is that it is a 70-year old, widely proven drug that is cheap.

A cure that does not enrich the big-bureaucrat/big-pharmaceutical criminal complex is strictly verboten.


10 posted on 05/08/2020 6:07:27 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Who could have guessed the Communist Revolution would arrive disguised as the common cold?)
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To: Jim Noble

RE: The “HCQ is a miracle drug that saves lives” people have retreated to “you have to give it early”

1) It was NEVER called a miracle drug. Trump never used that word. It was used as a term to ridicule, a sarcastic pejorative against Trump for saying there is no harm in trying.

2) Every doctor who has tried it successfully for their patient say that it has to be used at the EARLY stage of the disease, as soon as symptoms appear and a positive Covid-19 diagnosis is established.

They never said that many patients won’t recover if they don’t take HCQ, they DID say that recovery is markedly accelerated when HCQ with Zinc is applied. They also said that in almost all cases, hospitalization is avoided.

RE: I’m reviewing 88 patients next week and if I learn anything I will comment.

My suggestion is to actually TALK to doctors who have used the drug successfully and bring up your questions ( the one that you just brought up in this thread ) with them. No need to re-invent the wheel.

Here are a few of them you can talk to ( I can’t put their telephone numbers here ), but I can mail them to you using FR’s mail facility:

* Dr. Vladimir Zelenko ( See here: https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/vladimir-zelenko-d0172276-3207-4517-a08c-629eafd8c8a4-overview )

* Dr. Stephen Smith ( He has his own clinic in New Jersey See here: https://www.smithcenternj.org/about-our-doctors/ )

* Dr. William Grace ( Lennox Hill Hospital, See here: https://health.usnews.com/doctors/william-grace-13317 )

* Dr. Anthony Cardillo ( Mend Urgent Care in Sherman Oaks,California )

Start with them and then get back to us to find out what you got.


11 posted on 05/08/2020 6:07:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: Jim Noble

Preprint of an observational study from Spain that might interest you if you haven’t seen it.

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202005.0057/v1/download


12 posted on 05/08/2020 6:08:19 PM PDT by FreedomForce
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To: SeekAndFind

Dr. Ban Truong of California is another having success with the hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin/doxycycline + zinc(although he uses a lower dosage of zinc than some of the others) treatment


13 posted on 05/08/2020 6:14:03 PM PDT by FreedomForce
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To: SeekAndFind

Damn Straight !


14 posted on 05/08/2020 6:17:08 PM PDT by A strike (" Was that wrong? Should I not have done this? " - Costanza)
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To: Jim Noble

The fervent desire for an effective treatment is understandable, as is the hope that the affable and charming Dr. Zelenko, an internist in Orange county New York of all places was the one to stumble on the treatment.

His explanation does indeed sound logical: early treatment of just about anything has long been a mantra that our medical professionals preach to us. Zelenko advises early treatment...not even waiting for a positive PCR result.

He addresses the issue of side effects by dosing at levels that are tolerated for years by lupus patients.

And he points out that no one could get rich by using his protocol, which can’t be said about some of the other treatments being tested and developed.

So that all makes sense to me from the point of view of why people would be enthusiastic about the “Zelenko Protocol”. Where it runs off of the rails into the fever swamp, IMHO, is with some folks who try to tie anti-vax conspiracy theories involving Bill Gates, Dr. Faucci and George Soros.


15 posted on 05/08/2020 6:18:06 PM PDT by absalom01 (You should do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, and you should never wish to do less.)
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To: SeekAndFind
DUE ENTIRELY TO THE DEMOCRAT'S RESISTANCE.

SPEAK ENGLISH

16 posted on 05/08/2020 6:22:19 PM PDT by knarf
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To: absalom01
Thank you for your post 👍
17 posted on 05/08/2020 6:29:29 PM PDT by hawkaw
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To: SeekAndFind

“Remdesivir DOES work under certain conditions.”

Yeah and cancer cures smoking. I like my kidney’s and liver thank you very much


18 posted on 05/08/2020 6:30:41 PM PDT by Polynikes ( Hakkaa paalle)
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To: FreedomForce; Jim Noble

RE: Dr. Ban Truong of California is another having success with the hydroxychloroquine + azithromycin/doxycycline + zinc(although he uses a lower dosage of zinc than some of the others) treatment

Thanks. Here’s his details if you want to contact him:

https://health.usnews.com/doctors/ban-truong-775344


19 posted on 05/08/2020 7:06:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: SeekAndFind

From a search done for hydroxychloroquine here on FR

"Anecdotal"

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/04/16/newport-beach-elderly-coronavirus-survivors/
https://abc7.com/health/doctors-say-caution-needed-in-drug-treatment-for-covid-19/6082485/
https://aapsonline.org/hcq-90-percent-chance/
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/05/80-patients-staff-members-come-coronavirus-texas-nursing-home-hydroxychloroquine-treatment-saves-1-patient/
https://www.wsbradio.com/news/local/video-year-old-covid-survivor-shares-his-story/BJlgWl3F7W5jcb8G79xycL/
https://www.gazettextra.com/news/local/local-woman-details-her-battle-with-covid-19/article_49490ada-6e2f-5e9f-b8ce-29051941d3d8.html
https://techstartups.com/2020/04/08/another-hydroxychloroquine-success-story-dr-marc-siegel-says-hydroxychloroquine-cured-96-year-old-father-coronavirus/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUpTxZrEaAM&feature=emb_logo
https://www.miindia.com/blog/details/michigan-doctor-treats-himself-to-beat-covid-19-1002
https://www.ntd.com/teen-challenge-pastor-recovers-from-covid-19-after-hydroxychloroquine_456727.html
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/04/21/torrance-doctor-recovers-from-coronavirus-credits-z-pack-zinc-hydroxychloroquine-treatments/
https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/si-coronavirus-diary-this-covid-19-survivor-says-hydroxychloroquine-helped-save-his-life.html
https://www.wamc.org/post/covid-19-survivor-i-was-ready-die
https://www.pix11.com/news/coronavirus/102-year-old-grandma-with-that-tough-new-york-spirit-survives-covid-19
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200419/Hydroxychloroquine-and-azithromycin-treatment-in-80-COVID-19-patients-short-term-outcomes.aspx
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/will-hydroxychloroquine-help-fight-covid-19-one-trial-is-trying-to-find-out/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/elderly-woman-99-on-track-to-recover-from-coronavirus-after-taking-hydroxychloroquine

General Info

https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/india-providing-hydroxychloroquine-drug-over-50-countries-coronavirus-full-list-608345
https://nypost.com/2020/04/02/hydroxychloroquine-most-effective-coronavirus-treatment-poll/
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/stop-using-hydroxychloroquine-to-politicize-physicians
https://internetprotocol.co/hype-news/2020/04/30/covid19-explanation-hcq-works/ (only 20 out of 65,000 Lupus patients get covid-19 - they take HCQ)

Trials and other country’s usage

https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/health/russia-to-treat-virus-cases-with-anti-malaria-drug-hydroxychloroquine/1931775/
https://www.scnow.com/news/health/hydroxychloroquine-trial-set-to-launch-at-musc-health/article_0ce32f0e-2fe1-56ba-956d-7158dc20c582.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-04/uoc—cta043020.php
https://surfguardcr.com/local-news/costa-rica/costa-rica-prescribing-hydroxychloroquine-for-covid-19-patients
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=it&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ilfattoquotidiano.it%2F2020%2F04%2F28%2Fcoronavirus-da-nord-a-sud-1039-pazienti-trattati-a-casa-con-idrossiclorochina-il-punto-sulla-sperimentazione-crollo-dei-ricoveri%2F5783544%2F
https://www.redstate.com/elizabeth-vaughn/2020/04/23/french-doctor-didier-raoult-cites-flaws-scientific-misconduct-in-recent-va-study-on-hydroxychloroquine/
https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/hydroxychloroquine-clinical-trials-effective-in-silencing-american-media
https://www.india.com/news/india/coronavirus-mumbais-dharavi-to-become-indias-stage-for-hydroxychloroquine-experiment-4005790/

Fauci’s NIH

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/494012-nih-recommends-against-combining-hydroxychloroquine-with-z-pak-to-treat

20 posted on 05/08/2020 7:23:31 PM PDT by Pollard (shadowbanned)
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