Sarah Owermohle, Politico: April 6, 2020
The Trump administration is pushing ahead with a plan to “surge” the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to coronavirus hot zones around the country — even though there is little evidence that the treatment is effective, and ample proof that it can harm some patients.
Health experts have preached caution about putting the drug and its decadesold cousin chloroquine into wide use without the benefit of data from ongoing clinical trials. Hype surrounding the drugs has frustrated federal health officials who say that outsized attention on still-unproven treatments from the president and his top aides, including trade adviser Peter Navarro, could fuel false hope.
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1. The drugs are not approved for coronavirus
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2. Data on the drugs’ effectiveness is mixed
3. No drug is without risks
The president said Sunday that he hopes people use hydroxychloroquine because “because it’s been used for a long time and therefore it’s passed the safety test.”
Doctors and health officials have been quick to point out that no drug is totally safe — and taking hydroxychloroquine carries risks. The FDA warns against using it in patients with heart problems because it can worsen them. Studies also show that chloroquine can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate insulin levels and react badly with common diabetes medicines like metformin.
Right now, “there is no evidence that these drugs will help people survive, and there is evidence that they can cause substantial harm, including blindness and heart failure,” said Diana Zuckerman, a drug safety expert at the National Center for Health Research. “These drugs can have dangerous interactions with other drugs, which older patients with other medical conditions may also be taking.”
4. There have already been shortages
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5. There’s worry the chloroquine craze could crowd out trials of other potential cures
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6. Getting access and answers isn’t an either-or situation
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Read the full article here.