The Campaign Against HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine)

Paul Craig Roberts Institute for Political Economy ^ | 05/26/2020 | Paul Craig Roberts

[SeekAndFind]

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought out many disturbing features of our society. Misinformation, or perhaps more accurately, disinformation, abounds in the service of agendas ranging from those who interpret the virus as a useful ploy for the construction of a police state, to Big Pharma and its allies who are moving us toward mass vaccinations, to the narcissistic views of those who would sacrifice the elderly and ill rather than to be inconvenienced by being denied access to bars and beaches. Every aspect of the pandemic, including Trump's own use of HCQ, is being used against the President of the United States.

Despite proof of reinfections, some bleat on and on about how the "lock-down" prevented "herd immunity" and made us less safe. Others make the false claim that Sweden with no lock-down fared no worse than others. In fact Sweden's economy was de facto locked down by the non-participation of Swedes who on their own used the same measures as in other countries, and Sweden still has a higher mortality rate, for which the government has apologized to the elderly. Still others dispute that the lock-down reduced the infection rate, while others claim any reduction in COVID-19 deaths was offset by higher suicides caused by "lock-down depression."

To put these claims in perspective: two months ago the US had 100 known COVID-19 cases; today the US has 1.5 million. The difference is not accounted for by an increase in testing. The US has 100,000 deaths blamed on the virus -- twice the deaths of US soldiers in the long Vietnam war. Some claim that the deaths were caused by preconditions, not by the virus -- but the people didn't die until they got the virus. Others point out that economic incentives cause an over-reporting of COVID-19 deaths. There is little doubt about that, but over-reporting does not account for 100,000 deaths. It remains to be seen whether the reopening will result in a jump in infections and deaths.

At a time when accurate information is essential, the waters are instead muddied by disinformation in the service of political, ideological, and profit agendas. The irresponsibility of those putting their self-interests first is extraordinary. It indicates that the social bond between people that made America a country has been dissolved by greed, multiculturalism, and Identity Politics. America has become a country without a common interest. It is a narcissistic state.

This article is limited to the campaign against HCQ. HCQ -- hydroxychloroquine -- has been in use for 65 years for the prevention or treatment of malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is officially labeled a safe drug. Many doctors treating COVID-19 patients have found and reported HCQ, when used early enough together with zinc and the antibiotic Azithromycin to be an effective and safe treatment.

I have reported and made available many of the reports of HCQ's efficacy and safety. See for example:

here, here, here, here, and here.

Despite 65 years of safe use, HCQ is alleged to be dangerous and to cause heart attacks. Its use is officially approved only for "adolescent and adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19." Generally, by the time a patient is hospitalized the virus has progressed to a later stage in which treatment is less successful. Studies of HCQ's effectiveness, such as the VA one and apparently the more recent one reported in The Lancet, are limited to later stage hospitalized patients and seem to exclude the essential zinc component of the HCQ treatment. In other words, the studies seem to be designed to exclude from official approval the treatment that doctors have found most effective. It is not easy for a layperson to know what the studies actually say as the media report the studies in an anti-Trump manner. For the media, what is most important is criticism of Trump, not the effectiveness of a treatment.

In contrast, the untested investigational antiviral drug, Remdesivir, which has no record of safe use and is extraordinarily expensive compared to HCQ, has been given the same clearance for use. The media is not interested in the effectiveness and safety, or lack of this new and untested drug. Trump isn't taking it, and it is a potential profit-maker for Big Pharma. If Remdesivir fails, the failure will be used to dispose of the hope for cures and to focus on vaccination.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that HCQ/zinc is being sidelined in order to clear the way for a profitable vaccine and a vaccination mandate. But the vaccines are not panning out. The Moderna vax touted by Bill Gates and Dr. Fauci caused severe illnesses in one-fifth of the test recipients.

The other fast-tracked vaccine developed by the Oxford Vaccine Group proved ineffective. The vaccine produced insufficient antibodies to prevent COVID-19 infection.

It will be instructive to see what reopening brings. Bay county (Panama City Beach) and Walton county (Seaside, Rosemary Beach) quickly closed spring break and the beaches, restaurants, bars, vacation rental houses and condos, and non-essential businesses. Consequently, the two Florida counties had hardly any COVID-19 cases. People were able to go about without masks as if there were no pandemic.

[stinkerpot65]

We are, only now, beginning to grasp just how evil Democrats truly are.

[guardian_of_liberty]

Follow the Money,

[Hostage]

Thank you Paul Craig Roberts for compiling the many reports.

And we expect Dr. Zelenko to release his study report any day now.

[guardian_of_liberty]

Where have you been? Not paying attention all these years.

[circlecity]

Big pharma is pushing this. They don’t want a cheap effective treatment available to the public. As was noted above - follow the money.

[bagster]

We are, only now, beginning to grasp just how evil Democrats truly are.

[D]s in coordination w/ [D]&[F] assets have launched [as known] a full-scale insurgency attack against the people of the United States in an effort to regain power by any means necessary.
All assets deployed.
[Current landscape] coordinated and deliberate events to impact [rig] P_election.
WAR.
The future of our Republic is at stake.
Survival as a Nation.
We Rise or We Die.
We, the People.

[NonValueAdded]

I call BS on the heart complications. I looked at the John’s Hopkins prescribing info for Lupus. NOT ONE WORD ABOUT THE HEART!!! The only major side effect was eye problems after 5 years of DAILY use. No screening criteria for heart issues. The only follow up monitoring was for the retina.

Now assuming docs prescribing for Lupus don’t do the occasional EKG, you’d think this was an issue. How do we know heart problems associated with HQC are overblown? Because tort lawyers aren’t suing lupus docs!!!

[depressed in 06]

I hope the whole Bolshekrat Party waits for a vaccine.

[demkicker]

Two points on Hydroxy:

1. Follow the money

2. It works and cures Covid 19!

[Regulator]

Hard to find a conclusion in what PCR is saying, but I’ll summarize what I get:

- He believes the lockdowns and quarantines work if done properly, i.e. by being focused on places and activities that lead to high transmission rates

- But he also believes that the full HCQ+Zinc+Zithro course will act as an effective therapy, and that the media are intentionally confusing the debate by focusing on deficient test regimens, i.e. those that leave out Zinc (which is the actual viral killing agent, not HCQ, which acts as the Ionophore).

Which is mostly the way I think, but the fact is that simply hiding from the virus until a vaccine shows up isn’t going to work in the long run. It may work for those of us who are old and retired, but everyone needs to either be on a preventative regimen or just go through the illness and get immune, preferably with treatment that shortens the course. The HCQ/Zn therapy is only one, there are lots of others if anyone cares to look for them.

[spankalib]

...and thank you! Hostage, for putting this out on FR awhile back, thus helping ME! (& others I spread your helpful post(s) to.)

[faithhopecharity]

the trifecta (Hydroc, a prophylactic antibiotic just in case of any pneumonia or similar sets in, plus zinc for adsorption) has an excellent treatment record

you can BET that if anyone in our family ever were to catch this virus, our docs would prescribe this simple, cheap, and very effective treatment right away for us (they say so , too)

the only questionable aspect is whether it should be taken on a large scale prior to illness symptoms. imho, this is still up in the air, some doctors say definitely yes but i am a bit on the conservative side myself

[Mrs. Don-o]

About the "WHO says HCQ failed" propaganda:

In the hugely publicized reports (like the one from the VA) every one of these patients was hospitalized, which means that they were likely in the stages where there is a cytokine storm and are already experiencing lung tissue destruction. HCQ is of little use in such situations.

According to one of HCQ's earliest and most spectacularly successful proponents, Dr. Vladimir Zelenko, HCQ + Zinc is to be used on high-risk patients (older, comorbidities) as early as possible, on the same day as the COVID-19 test or immediately upon the onset of symptoms. The whole idea is to prevent the cascading ARDS events which result in high-risk patients' hospitalization, not to intervene after ARDS and critical hospitalization.

Here's a group of Brazilian scientists and academics who charge that (some) doctors, using e.g. WHO guidelines, are using HCQ in such a way as to practically guarantee mortality:

https://conexaopolitica.com.br/ultimas/brazilian-scientists-and-academics-write-an-open-letter-on-the-science-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic/?idPost=59623

[hcqmonkey]

There is lack of critical disease indicators un-like in almost every other study, that’s why they have mortality double on HCQ. No CT scan, no body temp, no resp rate, no paO2/FiO2 ratio.

Just above or below 94% sats and qSOFA thats the whole indicator of how sick the person is!

Now let me point out that using 94% spO2 as binary cut off will give you very wrong results, thats just one example of misuse of an indicator. There is a very big difference between a patient with 93% O2 sat, and someone who is 80% but they are both under 94% cut off in this study! And all viewed the same! No other serious studies use so little and such coarse, low-fidelity indicators of disease. Also pay attention that not only is the mortality almost double, the intubation and ventilator use is also more than double for HCQ group, that has nothing to do with HCQ - HCQ doesn’t affect respiratory function, it has to do with indicator bias, for which the Lancet study failed to control.

While other studies for hospitalized patients, show that HCQ is neutral, not helpful but also not a killer. This clearly has bias by indication, that is giving HCQ to a much more critically ill patient. The study tries to control for it but fails! They had to produce results to demonstrate it kills people - to stop the use of HCQ in-outpatient setting, where it does help when used with Zinc at early stages of the disease.

Here are some links going in depth:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRJxr01VKOdUDSgXfGks6TMnhOF4csQ1sYhmlVGLpandXrhCi6nNV6Ig7wrBNcdril4izIGmpASAGuD/pub

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1264251404232855552.html

The evidence of mistakes are right there in the study, if you pay close attention! But neither the media or officials, will actually read the study in question - they just take the Journal word for it. (I hope this is not a double post)

[SeekAndFind]

RE: While other studies for hospitalized patients, show that HCQ is neutral, not helpful but also not a killer.

Again, AT WHAT STAGE OF COVID-19?

Do you administer cancer drugs to a patient as soon as you find out he has cancer? Or do you wait till he is at Stage 4? Same principle applies to every drug out there.

Every successful doctor whose cases I read or heard in interviews tell us to apply HCQ + Azithromycin + Zinc EARLY ( within 5 days of diagnosis ).

So, every single “study” must take this into account — AT WHAT STAGE?

[Jane Long]

I have been preparing for the final battle in this war. The major counteroffensive is beginning. The whole world will hear us and be turned upside down. @realDonaldTrump @ZelenkoProtocol @RudyGiuliani— Dr Vladimir (Zev) Zelenko (@zev_dr) May 28, 2020

[hcqmonkey]

Oh absolutely, most studies use it at late stage (hospitals)where it has no chance to work, but at the minimum, those studies do not show that it is harmful. The new Lancet study is being used to shutdown any research into the drug, even at early stages because they did such a flawed analysis of the data - and showed that it kills people. So there is multiple issues. 1. its being used at late stage, 2. the data is being incorrectly analyzed to show harm. Because if the drug is neutral,they will still allow you to take it, but if they can come up with some research that it is harmful they have reason to deny it use and also take legal action against doctors who prescribe it.