- There is no rigorous scientific evidence that hydroxychloroquine can cure COVID-19.
- Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug used to treat autoimmune diseases, not COVID-19.
- Even recent studies suggest that the drug does not have substantial antiviral activity.
- One latest study concluded that patients hospitalized with mild-to-moderate Covid-19 using hydroxychloroquine, alone or with azithromycin, did not improve clinical status at 15 days as compared with standard care.
- A summary of the FDA review of safety issues with the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19 includes reports of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.
- FDA determined that these drugs are not likely to be an effective treatment for COVID-19 and that the risks of using them for this purpose might outweigh any benefits.
- A study found that neither hydroxychloroquine alone nor hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin appeared to affect the condition of patients at the 15-day mark. Additionally, unusual heart rhythms and elevated liver-enzyme levels were more frequent in patients receiving hydroxychloroquine alone or with azithromycin, according to the study.
- So why is it back in the news again? It appears it’s trending largely because of a series of viral videos published are being widely-shared across social media, particularly on Facebook and Twitter.
- A video featuring a group of doctors making false and dubious claims related to the coronavirus was removed by Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube after going viral online Monday July 27, 2020.
- During the press conference, a speaker who identifies herself as a doctor makes a number of dubious claims, including that “you don’t need masks” to prevent spread of the coronavirus, and that recent studies showing hydroxychloroquine is ineffective for the treatment of Covid-19 are “fake science” sponsored by “fake pharma companies.”
Source:
https://www.cnet.com/news/hydroxychloroquine-is-trending-again-its-still-no-cure-for-covid-19/
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/tech/facebook-youtube-coronavirus/index.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/hydroxychloroquine-oral-tablet
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2019014?query=featured_home
Related Words: Hydroxychloroquine Not A Cure for COVID-19 Hydroxychloroquine is trending again It’s still no cure for COVID-19 Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube scrub platforms of viral video making false coronavirus claims
