Posted on 04/21/2020 10:57:21 AM PDT by TECTopcat
More deaths, no benefit from malaria drug in VA virus study By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
This Monday, April 6, 2020 file photo shows an arrangement of hydroxychloroquine pills in Las Vegas. According to a study released on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, the malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in an analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers report. ( Hydroxychloroquine made no difference in the need for a breathing machine, either.
Researchers did not track side effects, but noted hints that hydroxychloroquine might have damaged other organs. The drug has long been known to have potentially serious side effects, including altering the heartbeat in a way that could lead to sudden death.
Earlier this month, scientists in Brazil stopped part of a hydroxychloroquine study after heart rhythm problems developed in one-quarter of people given the higher of two doses being tested.
Many doctors have been leery of the drug.
At the University of Wisconsin, Madison, “I think we’re all rather underwhelmed” at what’s been seen among the few patients there who’ve tried it, said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection control and prevention.
Patients asked about it soon after Trump started promoting its use, “but now I think that people have realized we don’t know if it works or not” and needs more study, said Safdar, who had no role in the VA analysis.
The NIH and others have more rigorous tests underway.
___
Marilynn Marchione can be followed on Twitter: @MMarchioneAP
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
One has to only notice that these kinds of reports are all associated with the MSM. The MSM completely ignores all reports from doctors and studies that say HCQ works great.
People have to realize that the deepstate complex is vast and complex and they can create any public narrative that they wish. And that they own the MSM. Most of the trials will also be rigged because of who controls those. The Drug companies make no money from HCQ. And if there is a good cure then Bill gates does not get to push his Vaccine and immunity ID.
Trump always oversold hydrox-hydrochlorin as a cure and the media always undersold it. Why were they both wrong? Because no one knew the facts.
Yes, It was definitely worth a try....because as Trump said there was nothing to lose. But, I am not surprised that it ended up not really helping. Medicines are very specific. Of course, long term studies still might show some benefit to some people.
I can believe the headline. The first part is simply the fact that people continue to die due to the virus. The second part is true if the VA was trying the anti-malaria drug against some other (unrelated) virus like cowpox. Sew them together and you get another misleading headline from the liars at AP!
Thanks for the link. The one thing I noticed was a huge difference in the way I was trained and what I saw in subsequent generations of doctors. We had to start IVs and draw blood. If a medical student wrote an order for either of these things they were expected to start the IV or draw the blood. That skill served me well in the years to come. I have had cases in the OR the anesthesiologist wanted to cancel because they couldn’t get a line in so I had to do it right quick before my attending got there and started raising hell.
But the details are interesting as well. He mentions anticoagulation. If the patients are having widespread thromboembolic phenomenon (and from h is labs he would know) that could be big. Also in the past I have mentioned ECMO. To go on ECMO one would be fully heparinized which could be an additional benefit. He says he only has to deal with 5 to 10. If his hospital could do 4 hearts at once (like most big hospitals) there are 4 ECMO machines sitting idle right now in his hospital. Sure that is a BIG step but it can be done. I have also in the past recommended an old therapy. I have seen used long ago. Fluosol.
The “Biologicals” he is talking about are too new for me to have any opinion on. Thanks for the link. Fascinating.
What a load of nothing. From another article:
“Researchers analyzed medical records of 368 male veterans hospitalized with confirmed coronavirus infection at Veterans Health Administration medical centers who died or were discharged by April 11.
About 28% who were given hydroxychloroquine plus usual care died, versus 11% of those getting routine care alone. About 22% of those getting the drug plus azithromycin died too, but the difference between that group and usual care was not considered large enough to rule out other factors that could have affected survival.”
This article doesn’t give numbers or reasons for who got the drug and who didn’t, ages, comorbidities, any variables about the patients, nothing. The study was not peer reviewed (obviously).
The key word in the veterans study (post 29) is “retrospective”. That means we have no idea if the patients were treated the same. It could be that when a patient was near death they tried the HC as a last resort, which would bias the results against HC.
Look instead for a double-blind, randomized study with a placebo or alternate drug.
“Patients asked about it soon after Trump started promoting its use...”
He didn’t promote it, he said he initial tests showed promise. He also didn’t release the states to use it because of the side effects and the lack of proof of it’s success by trying to pressure the FDA, the AMA, and the CDC. The AP lies like a rug and has for over 50 years. This type of crap is not fake news, it’s flat lies.
rwood
This is one of those “Water proven useless for washing hands.” articles. Of course if you use soap with water it is indeed a “game changer”. Same with HCQ. Need to use it along with Z pack and Zinc.
A 28% DEATH RATE???? Was it used as a last resort when the patients were already experiencing full-system failure?
Anybody know what states allow HCQ as an outpatient?
Never trust deep staters. And that is who these people are.
Anyone who is ecstatic that a pandemic is ravaging the economy is a sick freak...I’m talking about almost the entire MSM, most dem politicians, leftists of all stripes.
They are easy to spot, they hate God, babies and themselves.
28%, 22% and even 11% do not seem to me to be very impressive results from the VA.
How sick were the patients by the time they received the medication(s)?
“The study was posted on an online site for researchers and has has not been reviewed by other scientists. Grants from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Virginia paid for the work.”
Ass Press reporting on what Communist bureaucrats have to say denigrating the President. Yawn...
“Earlier this month, scientists in Brazil stopped...”
Wait! That’s the Brazilian org run by Beeker, of The Muppets!
The Left and its Media wants us dead.
I always wait until my engine has a piston or two seize in their cylinders before I add new oil...
I've proven ALL the automotive experts wrong in their advocacy for proper engine lubrication.
Oil doesn't work.
“Some places are holding it back for only the most critical patients.”
The article doesn’t say, but if they were holding it back the patient was likely doomed already.
I understand it must be given early to be effective.
Notice the author does not say what “standard care” is. How can there be a “standard” kind of care for a new disease for which no drug or treatment has been identified as a standard yet?
Unless in a government facility the standard is to do nothing at all and she’s asserting that doing nothing gets better results?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.