WUWT: This is a research article published as information for health care professionals and public officials, and for an open peer review. It is not medical advice.
Summary
I reviewed the scientific literature on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), azithromycin (AZ), and their use for COVID-19. My conclusions:
- HCQ-based treatments are effective in treating COVID-19, unless started too late.
- Studies, cited in opposition, have been misinterpreted, invalid, or worse.
- HCQ and AZ are some of the most tested and safest prescription drugs.
- Severe COVID-19 frequently causes cardiac effects, including heart arrhythmia. QTc prolonging drugs might amplify this tendency. Millions of people regularly take drugs having strong QTc prolongation effect, and neither FDA nor CDC bother to warn them. HCQ+AZ combination, probably has a mild QTc prolongation effect. Concerns over its negative effects, however minor, can be addressed by respecting contra-indications.
- Effectiveness of HCQ-based treatment for COVID-19 is hampered by conditions that are presented as precautions, delaying the onset of treatment. For examples, some states require that COVID-19 patients be treated with HCQ exclusively in hospital settings.
- The COVID-19 Treatment Panel of NIH evaded disclosure of the massive financial links of its members to Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of a competing drug remdesivir. Among those who failed to disclose such links are 2 out of 3 of its co-chairs.
- Despite all the attempts by certain authorities to prevent COVID-19 treatment with HCQ and HCQ+AZ, both components are approved by FDA, and doctors can prescribe them for COVID-19.
Remdesivir, $1,000.00 per pill
HCQ + AZ, less than $2.00 in generic form
Just like a scene from the Jerk, “ohhhh….it’s a profit thing”.
No article published for information is ever medical advice. The latter has a legal framework. The former can be wrong, made up, pure bullshit, politically motivated, pure speculation and marketing. Often a combination of many of these.
The question I have is why is the treatment being opposed for anyone in serious condition if the virus is anywhere near as deadly as is claimed?
Like, maybe the virus is not all that deadly but keeping the perception that it is by maximizing deaths from it may be what’s actually important to them?
LOWELL knows his $HIT.
Simple!
Follow the money.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, more confusing about the Coronavirus than getting the truth about its lethality and which treatments are effective.
If you read official results about how “successful” this remdisivir crap is it’s so minimally beneficial that it almost isn’t. But they did a double blind study and found some slight relative improvement in the treated group so it’s given the stamp of approval.