Trump said that about 10 days ago, after he told the White House doctor that he wanted to take hydroxychloroquine, the doctor agreed with Trump.
White House doctor Sean Conley wrote on social media: “After countless discussions, we have concluded that the potential benefits of treatment outweigh the relative risks.” He said that result of President Trump’s novel coronavirus nucleic acid test is still negative.
Trump said: “I have heard a lot of cases where the drug is effective. I think it is good. If it is not good, I will tell you. This drug has already been approved for the treatment of malaria and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been around for 40 years. “Trump claimed that many doctors and others in the front line of pandemic response were taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive drug, but he did not provide details to support this claim.
Trump’s remarks shocked the media again. Clinical trials and scientific research have shown that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine may significantly increase the risk of death in some patients, especially those with heart problems.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety alert saying that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine may have serious side effects, and the use of this drug should be carried out under the close supervision of a doctor.
In late April, after analyzing the medical records of 368 male patients, the National Veterans Hospital found that the mortality of hydroxychloroquine and hydroxychloroquine combined with azithromycin treatment was even higher than that of patients using other treatment methods. 27% of patients receiving hydroxychloroquine died and 22% of patients receiving combination therapy died. In contrast, the proportion of patients not taking these two drugs was 11.4%.
There is very little evidence that hydroxychloroquine is useful in treating diseases related to the new coronavirus. But Trump never completely gave up propaganda for hydroxychloroquine.
US House Speaker Pelosi criticized Trump’s decision to use hydroxychloroquine in an interview with CNN. Pelosi said: “He is our president, I hope he will not take drugs that have not been approved by scientists.” Pelosi also said that considering Trump’s age and weight (Pelosi called Trump morbid Obese), she thinks Trump should be extra careful.
The Washington Post analyzed that it is not the doctors who make Trump determined that hydroxychloroquine is effective, but the assistants and advisers beside him.
The Washington Post reported that Trump ’s personal lawyer Giuliani and others continued to tell the president that hydroxychloroquine has a great role in New York City, especially for patients who took it early. He also said that those who oppose the drug are launching a campaign with no factual basis. He added that a friend of his police officer had recovered after taking the drug.
In addition, White House officials, who asked not to be named, said Trump’s economic adviser Peter Navarro is still promoting hydroxychloroquine. He had accused those who opposed the drug of “blood on hands”.