[redacted] pushes unproven drug combination for COVID-19, pressures CDC and FDA to take steps promoting these drugs, confuses everyone. This is wrong and inappropriate for a non-expert.

photo courtesy of pixabay.com and ErikaWittlieb

Recently, news accounts have surfaced that the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has produced a “fact sheet” on the unproven drug combination hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.  This fact sheet speaks of anecdotal evidence and a preliminary study from France, but references no sources.  This is highly unusual for CDC, which normally cites scientific authority and careful research in making recommendations for any form of treatment.  In addition, the FDA has given emergency use authority for these drugs, and large quantities of them have been “donated” to hospitals for patient use.

Reports have come to light that these unusual steps by normally careful branches of our government have come about as a result of pressure from our Commander-in-Cheat.  Direct evidence that this pressure has been brought to bear by personal phone calls has been cited.  This information comes on the heels of His tweets endorsing this drug combination and calling it a possible “game-changer”.  What is more, personal lawyer Giuliani has been pushing the same remedies.

This type of behavior is unbecoming the office of president of the United States.  The chief executive should not be putting his nose into affairs about which he knows nothing.  He is not a “very stable genius” nor is he the least bit versed in the complexities of drug treatment for any disease, much less a pandemic of a new virus.  The evidence for effectiveness of this drug combination is preliminary at best and little better than anecdotal– hardly a panacea.

The evidence that has come out so far is that severe COVID disease is the result of an out-of-control immune reaction to infection in the lungs, not caused by the virus directly.  Treatment of overwhelming COVID pneumonia appears to hinge upon suppression of the so-called “cytokine storm” in the lungs and not direct inhibition of virus replication.  Evidence for the effectiveness of the drug combination is weak and contradictory, and clarification as to whether it really works will take time.

In the meantime, the president has caused a run on supplies of hydroxychloroquine, leaving not enough to treat patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and malaria– the diseases for which this drug is proven to be effective.  Someone should tell this con man president to stick to what he knows: real estate.