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A large Henry Ford Hospital System study found a mortality rate for 2,541 patients of 13.5% for HCQ alone, 20.1% for HCQ plus azithromycin, and 26.4% for neither.
A new analysis by R. Clinton Ohlers is title, "Effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine was hiding in plain sight." An early widely publicized study concluded that HCQ was not effective in New York patients. In truth: "Survival rates for hospitalized patients who received the drug approached 85%" and "with azithromycin the survival rate rose as high as 90%." Without either drug, "survival fell to levels as low as 53%." Conclusion: "a highly effective, inexpensive, and widely available treatment for COVID-19 is already in hand."
Similarly, Dr. Watanabe from Brazil reanalyzed a Minnesota study that had a negative conclusion. For very early HCQ use, he found that "reduction in symptomatic outcomes is 72% after 0 days (first day of infection), 48.9% after 1 day and 29.3% after 2 days" – all compared to a placebo group. Conclusion: "Infected patients may have a large benefit if treated as early as possible."
Clearly, many media-hyped studies saying HCQ has no benefits are not credible. Some medical journal papers were retracted.
An article by physician Norman Doidge is "Hydroxychloroquine: A Morality Tale – A startling investigation into how a cheap, well-known drug became a political football in the midst of a pandemic." Conclusion: "Worldwide [HCQ] might save a million or more people before COVID is tamed." Some studies were poorly designed. In one case "the patients were given the medication late – on average 16.6 days after the first symptoms."
Another important study is: "Early treatment with hydroxychloroquine: a country-based analysis." Critical conclusion: The death rate from the virus in a number of nations where HCQ has been made widely available (the treatment group) is about 74% less than in those nations, including the U.S., where it has not been made available (the control group).
Many physicians and experts on viruses have published strong pro-HCQ articles, notably Dr. Harvey Risch from Yale University. He has repeatedly argued for using HCQ as the standard outpatient therapy. This article is for a general audience. In a medical journal article, he warned against "sitting by and letting hundreds of thousands die because we did not have the courage to act according to our rational calculations."
Experienced pro-HCQ front-line doctors have appeared on Fox News shows, including Dr. Stephen Smith, Dr, Marc Siegel (whose 96-year-old father was saved with HCQ), Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Risch who noted, "We're basically fighting a propaganda war against the medical facts" and that "75,000 to 100,000 lives will be saved" if the national HCQ stockpile were used. Fox's Sean Hannity had Dr. George Fareed, an early user of HCQ, on a recent radio show.
A new CDC publication reveals prescriptions for HCQ at retail stores (not mail order). In March through June this year there likely were 680,000 prescriptions for treating the virus. After the government clamp down, prescriptions in May and June averaged 80,000 a month. This limited use may help explain many reduced death rates.
And despite negative actions by some governments and the World Health Organization, the Sermo survey of physicians in 30 countries found for this September that HCQ is being used for 22% of patients outside hospitals, 21% inside them and even 14% in ICUs.
4. Problems with Fauci's Positions
Dr. Fauci is only satisfied with randomized control trials (RCTs). This position has been sharply debunked, as has the assertion of negative health effects and that HCQ risks outweigh its benefits.
Thomas R. Frieden, former head of the CDC, concluded in 2017: "Despite their strengths, RCTs have substantial limitations." He supported using many other kinds of data that now constitute the evidence for using HCQ.
Similarly, Norman Doidge observed: "RCT is best understood as standing not for Randomized Control Trials, but rather 'Rigidly Constrained Thinking.' in the current COVID-19 situation … we cannot simply, as so many are insisting [namely Fauci], rely only on the long-awaited RCTs to decide how to treat COVID-19."
Importantly, hundreds of drugs have been approved without RCTs, including hydrocortisone, Lasix, tetanus vaccine, insulin, tetracycline, warfarin, heparin, prednisone, half of chemotherapy drugs used in cancer and uses of HCQ for many diseases, such as malaria and lupus.
Another false criticism has recently been debunked: "HCQ decreases cardiac events. HCQ should not be restricted in COVID-19 patients out of fear of cardiac mortality." Another study concluded: "HCQ administration is safe for a short-term treatment for patients with COVID-19 … causing … no directly attributable arrhythmic deaths." Dr. James Todaro concluded: "It is highly unlikely that fatal cardiac cases are from hydroxychloroquine use. It is far more likely that the disease itself is the cause of arrhythmias and cardiac injury during the hyperinflammation phase of severe cases of COVID-19."
An article by Steven Hatfill, "Why Is The Media Suppressing Information About Hydroxychloroquine's Effectiveness Against COVID?" noted, "There are now 53 studies that show positive results of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 infections." It also highlights the early Fauci and FDA strategy that promoted use of HCQ for hospitalized patients (when it was mostly too late) rather than early outpatient use.
The Doidge article noted that for a major study that found a 66% reduction in hospital deaths from use of HCQ, Fauci "didn't seem excited." The key question: "Why should anyone facing a pandemic wish to discredit potentially lifesaving medications?" The answer: The billions of dollars to be made from selling medications and vaccines. Fauci has had a very close relationship with pharmaceutical companies and has patents for one of the leading vaccines being tested by Moderna.
In August three-front line physicians wrote a detailed open letter to Fauci making the medical case for unblocking widespread use of HCQ. "You are largely unchallenged in terms of your medical opinions. You are the de facto COVID-19 Czar. … Americans must not continue to die unnecessarily. Adults must resume employment and our youth return to school. Locking down America while awaiting an imperfect vaccine has done far more damage to Americans than the coronavirus."
An important article by an epidemiologist rebutted the explanation by Fauci of why he rejects the incredible amount of evidence supporting use of HCQ. Conclusion: "I earnestly hope that Dr. Fauci reconsiders his opposition to HCQ and restores his hitherto considerable reputation."
I’m sure this will be on front pages across America tomorrow.