Bill Gates says hydroxychloroquine has ‘severe side effects’
Bill Gates this week added more flame to the fire in the ongoing debate over the usage of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, claiming that using the drug to treat the coronavirus carries with it the risk of “severe side effects” and arguing that medical officials should instead pursue the numerous “good therapeutic drugs” currently in development.
Yet there is at present little evidence that “severe side effects” are common in COVID-19 patients who take hydroxychloroquine, with the majority of reported adverse events being relatively mild and only a small fraction of reported effects so far being dangerous and/or fatal.
The drug, which has been used for years to treat malaria and other conditions like lupus, has been at the center of a medical and political firestorm since March when President Trump touted the medicine as a possible effective treatment for coronavirus. Numerous medical officials have claimed that it offers no benefit to COVID-19 patients, while others have insisted that it is highly effective when used in certain circumstances, specifically on high-risk patients early in the course of the disease.
Asked by Bloomberg magazine about the controversy on Thursday, Gates—who has been at the forefront of funding and advocacy efforts to find both a cure and a vaccine for COVID-19—said that though we live “in age of science … sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.”
“In the test tube, hydroxychloroquine looked good,” he said. “On the other hand, there are lots of good therapeutic drugs coming that are proven to work without the severe side effects.”
Studies do not show major prevalence of severe side effects
Numerous studies across the world over the past several months have produced mixed results on the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19, with some showing marked benefits and others indicating that it does not help patients recover from the disease.
Yet regardless of study outcomes, severe adverse health events associated with the drug appear to be comparatively rare.
One randomized trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this month stated that, while the study’s treatment with hydroxychloroquine “did not prevent illness compatible with Covid-19 or confirmed infection,” there were nevertheless “no serious intervention-related adverse reactions or cardiac arrhythmias” reported by study participants.
“Nausea, loose stools, and abdominal discomfort were the most common side effects,” the researchers stated. A study out of England in July similarly found “no excess of new major cardiac arrhythmia” among patients treated with the drug.
Another study released in July stated that diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting were the most common side effects; as with the study released in August, researchers stated that “no serious adverse events attributable to the study drug occurred.” A study earlier this year out of Marseille, France, said that all adverse effects observed in the HCQ trial “were mild and included mostly gastrointestinal symptoms,” though they did report cardiac issues in a few dozen patients out of 3,737.
One study published in May, in contrast, found an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias among COVID-19 patients taking the drug. The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, has said it has received reports of “serious heart-related adverse events and death” in patients taking the medicine.
Harvey Risch—a Yale epidemiologist who has been highly vocal in his advocacy of hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment for certain patients—acknowledged that the drug can indeed cause fatal cardiac issues, but he argued the risks were very small compared to what he said were the potential benefits of the drug.
“The main ‘side effects’ are [gastrointestinal] disturbances especially at higher doses,” he told Just the News. “About 10% of users of 400mg/day may have slight nausea or some diarrhea. It is manageable over a 5-7 day course.”
“The serious side effect is fatal cardiac arrhythmia,” he said, but he argued that data indicate it is expected to occur in about 9 users per 100,000, a number he argued “must be compared” to the many more deaths he claimed the drug could prevent.
The Food and Drug Administration did not respond to queries on Friday seeking comment on the matter. The Gates Foundation also did not respond to queries on Friday asking for clarification on the “severe” adverse events to which Gates was referring.
Read more at justthenews.com
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Lynsey Howell
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it has been proven not to be effective against covid 19 that Donald Trump endorses it should tell anyone with half a brain to steeer well clear of it, i’m surprised you were prepared to tarnish your reputation by publishing an article endorsing it
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Ken
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Come back after doing some reading on the vast number of studies that indicate a different story.. Doctors stating having good outcomes using HCQ, zinc etc have no reason to lie. As for Trump, he simply repeated what he was told, use of some common sense would tell you that. https://hcqtrial.com/
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Chris
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Lynsey, are you dumb or paid to say stupid things?
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rick
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…gas-lighting
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Boris Badenov
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Lynsey, is multi-talented …BOTH.
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richard
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As linked to on this site-
Studies-
“Global HCQ studies. PrEP, PEP, and early treatment studies show high effectiveness, while late treatment shows mixed results’
https://c19study.com
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Reni
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My understanding is that in 63 years there has been only 6 deaths with Hydroxychloroquine. This may have increased with some of the WHO organised studies where unusual doses where used.
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rick
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Dr. Gates, paging Dr. Gates
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Christian Loosli
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It should be mentioned that HCQ alone is not very usefull against that kind of flue symptoms but it’s used in small doses for helping zinc to be absorbed and with acithromycine to keep cytokine tempest in control as Prof. D. Raoult recommands. Never ask the concurence for an advise for a product he is not profiting himselve. Thanks also for the many short articles so i can keep up with reading with out missing important things!
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Christian Loosli
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To Lynsey, it’s like putting too much motor oil in your car and when dammaged to say oil is dangerous for the car. Thats what they did in certain studies on purpose to discredit the HCQ. Every medication can be poisenous when wrong dosage. More then 100000 patients died on medecine officially prescrybed by there docters per jear in the USA, with medical errors it comes up to another 250000 deads. Ask Dr. Lanka.
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Moffin
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Drink too much water and it will kill you!
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Boris Badenov
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Exactly the same can be said for consuming too much Leftist Kool-aid.
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Moffin
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I like your thinking.
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MattH
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It would be interesting to read some comments from specialist long term malaria doctors on dosages and side effects and best practice of HCQ use. Empirical knowledge!
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chris
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I had the same thought Matt. Those who have been prescribing it for a long time would know how it actually affects people. No one points to them.
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MattH
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Good one Chris. I heard or read recently that some doctors now had reservations bout using HCQ for malaria because of the negative publicity.
The first victim of war is the truth.
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julian
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In terms of morbidity and mortality the worst disease of humans is malaria. Humankind’s two biggest weapons against malaria are HCQ and DDT.
Me thinks Mr Gates is heavily invested and alternative medical treatments and political philosophies. Given the options, I’ll take HCQ and DDT any day.
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JaKo
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Just a note:
Not that I would wish any harm on anybody, but just for the sake of a speculation: If Billy or Belinda G acquired something of a lupus or rheumatic arthritis, would they refuse this dangerous drug treatment (used safely for decades) or would they opt for something coming out of their sound investments?
This should always be the criterion — separate the chaff from the real stuff.
Further, why doesn’t any of the entourage of “journalists” (IMHO = presstitudes) ask a simple question: “Mr. Gates, do you take ANY PRECAUTION while traveling to these malaria infested places to check on progress of your wonderful vaccines??? Perhaps your physician would like to enlighten us all about this…
JaKo
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Power Grab
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I happened to see an item in the last week or so that said that there is a vaccine candidate being developed that has HCQ as one of the primary ingredients. Then only a matter of days later, I saw where BG said right out that HCQ “will kill you”.
Well, since including foods in vaccines can easily lead to people having extreme allergic reactions to those foods when they eat them later, I reckon if you put HCQ in your vaccine, you probably will have people dying when they take HCQ by mouth after their immune system is primed to see it as an evil poison.
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Alex
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HCQ has prophylactic defence against ALL corona viruses, hence if all the people of the world are put on a (10 cent pill) HCQ+Zn regime as a prophylactic against ALL influenza viruses that do the rounds every winter, we will not need any vaccines and Bill Gates and Fauci will end up in the gutter.
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Power Grab
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I’m not saying that prophylactic use of HCQ by mouth will lead to death. I’m saying that if you inject HCQ as part of of a typical vaccine (with all the usual suspects–aluminum as an adjuvant, mercury or other germ killers as preservatives, etc) that will cause the body to put HCQ on the “Bad Guy List” along with the other substances that entered the body together and made the body mount a defense to the toxic attack.
Of course, not every one develops an allergy to eggs or peanuts as a result of their many vaccinations containing those foods. But you raise the risk of its happening.
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Marjorie Curtis
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I visited India over the New Year period 1976 – 1977. I was prescribed HCQ by my GP in England, and I had to take the drug for 6 weeks before I went and ,of course, during my month’s-long visit, and for 5 weeks after I got back to England.. I was positively feasted upon by mosquitoes in malaria-ridden regions, and never developed the truly horrid illness. I never had any side effects from the HCQ either. I was then a field geologist and spent three weeks in the jungle of the eastern Ghats, and visited 4 or 5 mines – lots of standing water everywhere. Most of the nonsense that is promulgated by Big Pharma (and possibly Bill Gates) is because its patent time has run out, and you can, or could buy it ,over the counter at any pharmacy. It is not allowing Big Pharma to make its regular gross profits. Don’t listen to them!
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Alex
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You are so right. Plaquenil 200 mg x 60 tablets cost 12 euros where I live and available by prescription even though we have no malaria, but some people do use it for Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. I take one 200mg Plaquenil every 3 or 4 days and a daily VitC+Zn effervescent tablet in water. I feel just fine. I have recommended it to all my relatives and friends.
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Alex
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I’m on a prophylaxis mode HCQ 200mg twice a week and daily Vit C with Zn. I feel fine. The only two problem with HCQ is that it was proposed by Trump, therefore it must be bad, and Fauci owns three patents on vaccine technology.
So yes, HCQ has some very very nasty and potent side effects; on Fauci and Bill Gates.
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Alex
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HCQ has prophylactic defence against ALL corona viruses, hence if all the people of the world are put on a (10 cent pill) HCQ+Zn regime as a prophylactic against ALL influenza viruses that do the rounds every winter, we will not need any vaccines and Bill Gates and Fauci will end up in the gutter.
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Lighthorse
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I recently read an article — could have been here — citing a highly credible poll of physicians. Some 66 percent of them prescribe HCQ for themselves and families. But not for patients.
I live in the Florida panhandle. The vast majority of docs will not prescribe here. Afraid of losing their license.
I shopped and shopped calling pharmacists, just honestly asking for a doctor who would prescribe. Fortunately I found one.
Now I have HCQ. For myself and wife.
Not easy, but well worth the research.
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NecktopPC
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Scientific Study—Or Megadose Mass Murder?
“Toxicity and Side Effects. Taken in proper doses, chloroquine is an extraordinarily safe drug; however, its safety margin is narrow, and a single dose of 30 mg/kg may be fatal.”
The Brazilian study gave 1200 mg per day for 10 days. Every single dose was in the fatality range of 30 mg/kg for a 40 kilo or 89.1 pound patient.
https://breggin.com/scientific-study-or-megadose-mass-murder/
Oh – and by the way:
Face coverings will not protect you from getting COVID-19.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/face-coverings-and-face-masks
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