Study panning anti-malaria drug Trump took against COVID faces new questions

[webfact]

Study panning anti-malaria drug Trump took against COVID faces new questions

By Michael Erman

 

FILE PHOTO: The drug hydroxychloroquine, pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump and others in recent months as a possible treatment to people infected with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is displayed at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. May 27, 2020. REUTERS/George Frey/File Photo

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - British medical journal the Lancet on Tuesday said it had concerns about data behind an influential article that found hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death in COVID-19 patients, a conclusion that undercut scientific interest in the medicine championed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

Hydroxychloroquine - which has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties - inhibited the coronavirus in laboratory experiments but has not been proven effective in humans, particularly in placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials considered the gold standard for data.

 

The debate has become highly politicized, and many scientists have voiced concern.

 

Nearly 150 doctors signed an open letter to the Lancet last week calling the article's conclusions into question and asking to make public the peer review comments that preceded publication.

 

"This is not some sideshow or minor issue," said Dr. Walid Gellad, a professor at University of Pittsburgh's medical school, who was not a signatory of the letter but has been critical of the study.

 

"We're in an unprecedented pandemic. We've organized these enormous clinical trials to figure out if something works. And this study stopped or paused a couple of those trials, and changed the narrative around a drug that no one knows if it works or not," he said.

 

The observational study published in the Lancet on May 22 looked at 96,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, some treated with the decades-old malaria drug that Trump said he took and has urged others to use.

 

Several clinical trials were put on hold after the study was published.

 

The study, using data provided by healthcare data analytics firm Surgisphere, was not a traditional clinical trial that would have compared hydroxychloroquine to a placebo or other medicine.

 

The Lancet's editors said in a note that serious scientific questions about the study were brought to their attention and an independent audit of the data has already been commissioned.

 

Surgisphere said in a statement that the audit "will bring further transparency to our work (and) further highlight the quality of our work."

 

Earlier on Tuesday, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) said it was concerned about the quality of the data behind a different study it published in May that also used data from Surgisphere and had the same lead author.

 

Dr. Mandeep Mehra, the lead author and a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, defended the use of the Surgisphere dataset as an intermediary step until clinical data is available.

 

"I eagerly await word from the independent audits, the results of which will inform any further action," Mehra said in a statement after the Lancet note.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) suspended hydroxychloroquine's use in a large trial on COVID-19 patients after the Lancet study. Following the WHO trial suspension, the governments of France, Italy and Belgium halted the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 patients.

 

Among the critics of the study to sign the letter last week were several academics from the University of Oxford and Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) in Bangkok, which had been conducting the global "COPCOV" trial of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment of COVID-19.

 

The trial was paused last week, after the Lancet article.

 

In March, Trump, with little scientific evidence, said hydroxychloroquine used in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin had "a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine." He later said he took the drugs preventively after two people who worked at the White House were diagnosed with COVID-19.

 

Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro discussed a joint research effort on using hydroxychloroquine as both a prophylaxis and treatment for the coronavirus, the White House said on Tuesday.

 

(Reporting by Michael Erman; additional reporting by Alistair Smout, Editing by Bill Berkrot, Peter Henderson and Tom Brown)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-03

 

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[OneMoreFarang]

Another reason why Trump should be removed and investigated. Follow the money. Who profited from his constant recommendation of a dangerous drug.

[TopDeadSenter]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Another reason why Trump should be removed and investigated. Follow the money. Who profited from his constant recommendation of a dangerous drug.

You did not understand the article. The very very long winded Reuters story essentially said that due to irrational hatred of Donald Trump, scientists fudged and smeared results of the drug tests. While the drug may have worked fine the scientists were triggered by the Trump association and abandoned research projects to give the impression the drug is hopeless and even dangerous when used for covid treatment, which was against the findings of the study results.

 Shameful how low they are stooping. This is the lab rat version of burning and looting the Jimmy Choo store in Manhatten. We're triggered and boy you are going to know about it. These "scientists" are going to be out of work very soon.

[rabas]

A second study has now come under question. Both are discussed here:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-mount-drugs-coronavirus.html

 

Questions have also been raised about the lack of zinc in many of these studies. It has been know for many years that zinc kills the virus. Chloroquine helps zinc enter cells.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

You did not understand the article. The very very long winded Reuters story essentially said that due to irrational hatred of Donald Trump, scientists fudged and smeared results of the drug tests. While the drug may have worked fine the scientists were triggered by the Trump association and abandoned research projects to give the impression the drug is hopeless and even dangerous when used for covid treatment, which was against the findings of the study results.

 Shameful how low they are stooping. This is the lab rat version of burning and looting the Jimmy Choo store in Manhatten. We're triggered and boy you are going to know about it. These "scientists" are going to be out of work very soon.

I understand that Trump very often recommended that drug. And I understand that it is useless against Covid and it has loft of negative side effect. A smart and rational president who cares about the people would not recommend such drug.

[TopDeadSenter]

3 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And I understand that it is useless against Covid

No. You believe the mainstream media narrative that the drug is useless, without proper scientific tests, because it is a convenient weapon to bash Donald Trump. 

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post with uncivil comments has been removed. 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

You did not understand the article. The very very long winded Reuters story essentially said that due to irrational hatred of Donald Trump, scientists fudged and smeared results of the drug tests. While the drug may have worked fine the scientists were triggered by the Trump association and abandoned research projects to give the impression the drug is hopeless and even dangerous when used for covid treatment, which was against the findings of the study results.

 Shameful how low they are stooping. This is the lab rat version of burning and looting the Jimmy Choo store in Manhatten. We're triggered and boy you are going to know about it. These "scientists" are going to be out of work very soon.

Glad you now see Reuters is good. But no, "The very very long winded Reuters story essentially said that due to irrational hatred of Donald Trump, scientists fudged and smeared results of the drug tests.", that is not what the article said.

[J Town]

Technically Trump was practicing medicine without a license and it really took his personal doctors by surprise, leaving them scrambling to put out statements that condoned his behavior while NOT putting themselves in litigious danger.

[rabas]

1 hour ago, J Town said:

Technically Trump was practicing medicine without a license and it really took his personal doctors by surprise, leaving them scrambling to put out statements that condoned his behavior while NOT putting themselves in litigious danger.

But one does not need a license to do research...

 

There are now four or more research papers on, or medical companies developing ways to directly inhale drugs into the lungs to fight COVID-19, as Trump had speculated. The latest is GIlead's antiviral drug remdesvir. Others include inhaling corticosteroids,  toxic nitric oxide, and chloroquine.

 

Gilead's next step on coronavirus: inhaled remdesivir

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by rabas

[J Town]

8 minutes ago, rabas said:

But one does not need a license to do research...

 

There are now four or more research papers on, or medical companies developing ways to directly inhale drugs into the lungs to fight COVID-19, as Trump had speculated. The latest is GIlead's antiviral drug remdesvir. Others include inhaling corticosteroids,  toxic nitric oxide, and chloroquine.

 

Gilead's next step on coronavirus: inhaled remdesivir

 

A president's job is not to speculate about risky behavior that can get people killed. That's been one of his greatest follies, not listening to ANYONE around him.

[rabas]

11 minutes ago, J Town said:

A president's job is not to speculate about risky behavior that can get people killed. That's been one of his greatest follies, not listening to ANYONE around him.

Medical researchers and doctors were already speculating about chloroquine well before the president's comments, in part because it had come to the forefront of many other possibilities. So obviously he was listening. Or do you want to credit him with even more medical savvy?

 

One of a president's responsibilities is to give people hope. How is mentioning the current best hope for a quick way to help save lives killing people?

 

If you want to get him for something, ask why he (and others) forgot the zinc.

[pegman]

6 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

No. You believe the mainstream media narrative that the drug is useless, without proper scientific tests, because it is a convenient weapon to bash Donald Trump. 

So the studies are incomplete. On what basis then is Trump pumping it's use? Do you have an answer to that or are you just a Trump apologist? 

[Bender Rodriguez]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

particularly in placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials considered the gold standard for data.

how many people here know that vaccine placebo's are not salt water, but another TOXIC vaccine full of chemicals, same as they will use a meningitis vaccine as placebo for the corona vaccine trials...

 

placebo should mean:  sugar pill or salt water (saline) with chemicals...

 

hydroxychloroquine should be used with ZINC to prevent (so not when the patient is on a ventilator on his way to DEATH) to prevent the virus from penetrating new cells...

 

 

 

 

[Bender Rodriguez]

7 hours ago, rabas said:

A second study has now come under question. Both are discussed here:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-mount-drugs-coronavirus.html

 

Questions have also been raised about the lack of zinc in many of these studies. It has been know for many years that zinc kills the virus. Chloroquine helps zinc enter cells.

 

 

finally someone like me that read studies and does not blindly follow CORRUPT media, that is paid by big pharma ..... most TV stations are OWNED by big pharma with their advertisement budget and will never DARE to question those pills or consider thinking about PREVENTION

 

you could try QUERCETIN + ZINC, as quercetin is also an ionophore for ZINC

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=quercetin+ionophore+for+zinc

Edited June 3, 2020 by Bender Rodriguez

[ukrules]

As usual, I suspect it's all about the money and very little to do with Trump.

 

Hydroxychloroquine is so cheap it's almost free because it's not patent encumbered.

 

This makes it a threat to other new treatments - it's a worst case scenario for a big drug company. Their new drug may be almost useless to all but a small group of patients at a specific stage of treatment and something else that costs virtually zero may do a better job.

 

Remdesivir on the other hand is new and expensive.

 

However your insurance company will pay for it so it's priced accordingly and will make Billions of dollars.

 

This is why we're seeing studies which are heavily biased against hydroxychloroquine. It's very shady and it's almost certainly nothing to do with Trump, it's all about the money.

 

I'm sure any news of hydroxychloroquine could have been buried with all the usual tactics right up until the point where Trump spoke out about it and announced that he's taking it, at which point it became a political thing. That's very useful for those who would like to see it gone.

 

I would start looking into the people who conducted those studies and their direct and indirect financial relationships with Gilead, then again I'm not in charge so what do I care - this is how I see the situation though.

 

[EVENKEEL]

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Another reason why Trump should be removed and investigated. Follow the money. Who profited from his constant recommendation of a dangerous drug.

Can't really classify this as a dangerous drug. I've been issued this drug many times when I was in a malaria danger area. As are countless others who are civ contractors or Active Military. It's pretty routine. But that's not to say I always took the meds. Sometimes I cheated and didn't take.

[Rimmer]

An off topic rant has been removed

[candide]

I quite agree with the scientists who asked to see the data. That's a good way to check the scientific value of the study.

As stated in the OP, before this study, no one knew whether this drug was working or not, so this study needs to be carefully reviewed. It would also make sense to go on with other trials for the time being.

That's a sound scientific debate. Nothing to do with the ridiculous touting of this drug by Trump and Trumpers.

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Another reason why Trump should be removed and investigated. Follow the money. Who profited from his constant recommendation of a dangerous drug.

 

I see you think your politically biased opinion outweighs the 150 doctors and the venerable Lancet!

[Baerboxer]

21 minutes ago, candide said:

I quite agree with the scientists who asked to see the data. That's a good way to check the scientific value of the study.

As stated in the OP, before this study, no one knew whether this drug was working or not, so this study needs to be carefully reviewed. It would also make sense to go on with other trials for the time being.

That's a sound scientific debate. Nothing to do with the ridiculous touting of this drug by Trump and Trumpers.

 

Totally agree. And for balance, nothing to do with the ridiculous exaggerations of the dangers of this drug by those who are more interested in attacking Trump.

[Sujo]

9 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

No. You believe the mainstream media narrative that the drug is useless, without proper scientific tests, because it is a convenient weapon to bash Donald Trump. 

No i believe doctors and specialists.

 

Btw, if it may help, and cant hurt, why did trump stop taking it?

 

Riddle me that.

[Sujo]

16 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Totally agree. And for balance, nothing to do with the ridiculous exaggerations of the dangers of this drug by those who are more interested in attacking Trump.

So why did trump stop taking it.

[DogNo1]

There is so much corruption and hanky-panky in the pharmaceutical industry that it would be good to have several gold-standard tests of the efficacy of Hydrochloroquine plus Zinc as a treatment for COVID before making up our minds.  I think that there is a strong movement to do almost anything at all to discredit Trump.  I certainly don’t like some things that he says and does but I am confident that a government under Joe Biden would be much worse.  What people don’t seem to be aware of is the strong actions of foreign agents to sow insurrection and upheaval.  See the latest statement from AG Barr.  China would like nothing better than an America too weak to stand strong and contain China.  Please think about what you want the outcome for America to be in 2021 before you continue to sabotage Trump.  He is clearly the lesser of two evils.

[Bender Rodriguez]

11 minutes ago, Sujo said:

So why did trump stop taking it.

do you know it stays in the blood for 21 days ?????

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

Can't really classify this as a dangerous drug. I've been issued this drug many times when I was in a malaria danger area. As are countless others who are civ contractors or Active Military. It's pretty routine. But that's not to say I always took the meds. Sometimes I cheated and didn't take.

Ok, maybe I should have written: It has possible bad side-effects.

I read one study of that drug was cancelled because too many participants had too many bad side effects.

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

I see you think your politically biased opinion outweighs the 150 doctors and the venerable Lancet!

Do we really have to count how many professionals recommend that drug for Covid-19 and how many professionals say it's useless against Covid-19 and people should not take it?

It's seems the drug is only used in the USA because POTUS wants it and in Brazil because Trump sent it to them.

In the rest of the world nobody is interested in it in terms of Covid-19.

 

And my politically biased opinion is based on facts. If a moron lies constantly and recommends not only that drug but also drinking or injecting bleach then that's a good reason to ignore any advice of such an idiot.

[EVENKEEL]

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Ok, maybe I should have written: It has possible bad side-effects.

I read one study of that drug was cancelled because too many participants had too many bad side effects.

We had to sign waivers saying we knew the side effects and were given the pills. Usually for malaria they would give 1 week (daily) before entering area and 30 days after leaving the area. 

[rabas]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

No i believe doctors and specialists.

 

Btw, if it may help, and cant hurt, why did trump stop taking it?

 

Riddle me that.

Because a WH staff member tested positive so he began to take it as a prophylactic. After all staff again tested negative and after the mandatory 14 day waiting period he stopped, as it was no longer needed.

 

Obviously it was done to protect the safety of a sitting president and clearly with WH medial staff supervision. The rest was probably just to mess with his antagonists' heads, which it did.

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by rabas

[candide]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Totally agree. And for balance, nothing to do with the ridiculous exaggerations of the dangers of this drug by those who are more interested in attacking Trump.

Who started politicizing this issue? As you know, in most developped countries,  governments and political parties are not touting any controversial drug. It remains a debate between health professionals.