The Truth on Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) COVID-19 Treatment
Since the intervention of the President of the USA, Donald Trump announcing that the FDA approved Hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19, the news spread that a treatment was now available.
However, on the same day, the FDA denied having given the approval for this drug. We are now facing questions and requests from patients for this medication that medical professionals cannot give without going astray from the current standard of care established by the FDA.
More concerning is the consequences on the epidemic and on lives to refrain the prescription of Hydroxychloroquine.
Is Hydroxychloroqine really a treatment for COVID-19?
Is there any alternative treatment?
Is Hydroxychloroquine really dangerous to the point to limit or to delay its use until studies confirm the validity of its use in the treatment of COVID?
Didier Raoult, M.D. is a Professor in Infectious Diseases in Marseille, France. He is ranked as the first world expert in communicable diseases by the online resource, http://www.expertscape.com. He is the leader in France in the research on COVID-19.
He is also an expert in Plaquenil since he has worked for the past 10 years on Plaquenil to treat other diseases. He is currently the European voice who promotes the use of Hydroxychloroquine against the position of the FDA.
As a French native, I was able to follow the interviews that the Professor Didier Raoult gave and because lives may be saved today with the use of Hydroxychloroquine I feel an ethical duty to share the expert advice that supports the use of Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil).
Plaquenil has been used for the past 70 years as a drug to treat and to prevent malaria.
Plaquenil’s safety has been proven, having been used by millions of people during this period. Its safety profile is well-known, which is not the case of newer drugs that may be safe in the early studies, but often turn out to be dangerous over time.
If, two months ago, you would have to go to Africa, Asia or any endemic zone of malaria the same doctor who, today, refuses to give you Plaquenil, based on the FDA instructions, would have given you Plaquenil for weeks or months without any hesitancy and probably even without looking up the potential side effects.
Malaria may kill and the prevention of a potential lethal disease has justified for the past 70 years this practice that nobody never discussed. Suddenly, in 2020, Plaquenil became a dangerous drug when there is a threat of crisis in Plaquenil supply.
Is Malaria much worse than COVID-19? Is the risk of being bitten by a mosquito in a hotel much higher than catching COVID-19 in your local supermarket full of sick individuals or by touching door knobs where the virus can stay 9 days?
Three studies have been published recently by Chinese doctors showing the efficacy of Plaquenil on COVID-19. One study reported by the Pr. Didier Raoult, showed the eradication of coronavirus in 75{154653b9ea5f83bbbf00f55de12e21cba2da5b4b158a426ee0e27ae0c1b44117} of patients with hydroxychloroquine alone and when combined with Azithromycin an eradication in 95{154653b9ea5f83bbbf00f55de12e21cba2da5b4b158a426ee0e27ae0c1b44117} of cases.
Pr. Raoult published a few days ago his own study showing similar results. Pr. Raoult thinks that Chinese doctors are reliable. They were the first to face this epidemic, have the largest experience in COVID-19 patients and have already published more than 20 studies.
The usual rule in Medicine requires protocols, well conducted double-blind randomized studies, studies at large scale to officially promote a medication. Dr. Hahn, director of the FDA states:
“We must ensure these products are effective: otherwise we risk treating patients with a product that might not work when they could have pursued other more appropriate treatments”.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE YET THESE “MORE APPROPRIATE TREATMENTS” AND PEOPLE IN ICU CANNOT WAIT.
Today, there is no other FDA approved drug to fight against COVID-19. Today, while people may be between life and death, when some do not know how fast and severely they will deteriorate, Plaquenil, which is FDA approved for the treatment and prevention of malaria and for some inflammatory diseases, is still not approved for the treatment of COVID. The FDA ensures the safety and the good use of medications and physicians who today refuse to give Plaquenil, strictly, follow the FDA instructions in your best interest. Is it really so?
The history of Medicine can also teach us lessons. One oral antidiabetic medication (Metformin) was introduced in Europe in 1950 and in the USA in 1995. It took 45 years for the FDA to authorize what turned out to be the basic treatment of diabetes. The first oral anti-diabetes medication was introduced in the USA in 1984.
It took 14 years for the FDA to allow american citizens to have tablets instead of insulin shots.
It took 12 years for Alexander Fleming to convince his peers that penicillin was not a quackery resulting in the death of hundreds that was avoidable.
How many victims from COVID-19 will it take until pragmatic therapeutic approaches are taken?
The concept of the patient’s best interest has to be reconsidered in times of crisis. Yes, well-conducted studies are necessary and should guide our medical practice. Sometimes, however, when it is urgent, the risk/benefit ratio may be the only guide.
The common Plaquenil side effects may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or cramps, loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, dizziness, spinning sensation, headache, ringing in your ears, mood changes, nervousness, irritability, skin rash, itching, or hair loss.
As to the serious side effects, their frequency according to the medical website Medscape is not well defined. Plaquenil may also cause severe eye damage but only when taken for a long term. This concern is certainly not relevant to a 5 day treatment.
Plaquenil may have an effect on the heart visible on an electrocardiogram (EKG) (prolongation of the QT interval) as does Zithromax. The concern is the risk of cardiac arrhythmia. The risk is even greater when Plaquenil is combined with other drugs that also prolong the QT interval on EKG.
A study in 2018 concluded that more studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of this EKG abnormality. Pr. Didier Raoult who has used Plaquenil for the past 10 years in his clinical practice and research writes that the combination of Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) with Azithromycin (Zithromax) was a concern but has not yet been shown to cause EKG problems.
An EKG is advisable before starting Plaquenil. Any prolongation of the QT interval requires the approval of a cardiologist to use Plaquenil. In his interview on 03/23/20, the Pr. Raoult speaks of an hypothetical but possible risk of arrhythmia that is more relevant to patients who present with multiple diseases or in the ICU setting.
Drug interaction: Plaquenil may interact with acetaminophen, cancer medications, tuberculosis medications, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, arthritis medications, ACE inhibitors, antibiotics, antifungals, cholesterol medications, HIV/AIDS medications, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), or seizure medications.
Side effects must always be correlated with their frequency, and with the risk/benefit ratio. Any medication may have serious side effects. Pr. Raoult, expert in the use of Plaquenil in his interview on 03/23/20 seems to be very annoyed by the warning about side effects and goes up to stating that it is purposely done like to “frighten people with ghosts”.
Again, He insists on the fact that several millions of individuals took Hydroxychloroquine over the past 70 years. He does not hesitate to say that the fear of side effects due to Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin (Zithromax) does not make sense.
The risks of COVID-19 in a selected population at risk are serious and potentially lethal. In people at high risk of dying from COVID-19, the risk/benefit ratio favors the use of Plaquenil. Pr. Raoult, in his interview on 03/23/20 states that when there is respiratory insufficiency the virus is almost not or no longer detectable.
When patients start having severe respiratory insufficiency, when patients are admitted in ICU, it is just too late to initiate Plaquenil.
The virus is already gone. It is the remaining inflammation (cytokine storm) that is a life threat. According to the Pr. Raoult
Hydroxychloroquine should be initiated when COVID-19 becomes moderate or when patients start getting worse.
Plaquenil should be used when the virus is multiplying not when it is almost or totally gone.
Focusing on serious side effects without considering their relative frequency of occurrence and without taking into consideration the immediate life-threatening status and the absence of other alternative therapy causes an unrealistic and unjustified threat and fear on a medication that has the ability to save lives.
I understand that the authorization to use Plaquenil in the treatment of COVID-19 may lead to unjustified use of this drug where the risk/benefit ratio would not favor the drug, a shortage of this medication and the impossibility to give to those who really need it, for COVID-19 or for other indications. Providers should determine based on their clinical judgment and ethics what to do. However, today people are in ICU, others will have to be admitted in ICUs. These people cannot wait for studies to be completed.
About the author: Alain Mass, M.D. Board Certified in Family Practice, Dr. Mass graduated from the University of Paris,University of Paris in 1984. Dr. Mass works in Monsey, NY and specializes in Family Medicine. [email protected]
Coronavirus and Plaquenil in the medical literature
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0282-0.pdf
https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-422X-2-69
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VICB3
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The foot-dragging on the part of the FDA on the introduction of Metformin in the united states – 45 years! – all, one has to surmise, to protect the profits of insulin producers, tells you everything that you need to know about that particular organization as well as bureaucracies in general.
Regardless if you think the whole thing is way overblown, their current naysaying and footdragging for something that may very well be the best and cheapest cure – albeit non-patentable – in this current emergency is telling.
Just a thought.
VicB3
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B
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VICB3, I could not agree more. The FDA needs to be held accountable for the millions of lives lost since it was founded.
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Christian Loosli
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When it would be a product where Billy hat his share in it, it would be different. Forced Vaccines on hole humanity with out proper testing and longtime studies on side effects, thats ok. When Billy says it, that is all that’s matters. The hole evolution of mankind is dependant an money. Shareholder decide not you and me, neither politics. As long we give all power to the richest and worship them, there will be little change. Forbid all profit and speculation on medical health care products and all could change for the better.
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Herb Rose
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Hi Christian,
The only support for the idea that Bill Gates is behind the COVID-19 is that as a bio-weapon it is poorly made and unreliable just like his window products. If he can’t steal something good he produces crap.
Individual shareholders (other than those with controlling interest) in a corporation have no say in corporations. It is the pension funds, mutual funds, insurance companies, and other large investment entities that select the board of directors and make policy.
In USA the political parties have destroyed our freedom. It is the parties that decide who should represent us and fund their election campaigns. The representatives are Democrats or Republicans not Americans and owe their allegiance to the parties, not the country or the people
Herb.
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Christian Loosli
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Hi, thank you so much to explain it so well! I’m not so familiare with all these technicalities.
What i wanted to say is as the dictum go’s “when i control the money i don’t care who is making the laws”. Invester control quit a bit to whom they give, To wich party and so on. When i hear Billy talking its like he is spokesman of something, seems to know more than the goverments and they all listen to him and do what he suggesting with gringsing of mental ill. Also he knew when the pandemic will hit and how it will be organized. Here in France officially he never gets any negativ comments since the goverment of Macron is heavely interlinked with the Pharma. It dos not need to be a bio-weapon. With the help of MSM and a bit of help from big pharma to get it started it should do. Christian
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jerry krause
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Hi Herb,
A question: Herb, who elected our current president, Donald Trump?
Until you assume responsibility for the welfare of nearly 300,000,000 people you cannot know what responsibility actually is.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Herb Rose
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Hi Jerry,
The reason Trump was nominated was because he was not a Republican like Bush and other candidates (except Ben Carson, who I supported).Because Hillary had purchased the Democrat party she would get the nomination no what the people wanted and Bernie never had a chance. In the election Trump won because he was not a politician (speaks his mind and does what he says he’s going to do.) even though MSM predicted a large Clinton victory.
One of the things Trump wanted to do was drain the swamp of all the deadwood government employees (not government workers who are different) but they fought back trying to undo the election. Fauci and many of the people advising him are swamp denizens and instead of giving him advice to help the country they try to damage him and his chance for re-election. With the economy booming there was no way Trump was not going to be re-elected so they were willing to destroy the economy and hurt millions of people to preserve their interests.
Have a good day,
Herb
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jerry krause
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Hi Herb,\
The question was: Who elected our current president, Donald Trump?
Not, what were the reasons that Donald Trump was elected. The question because you had written: “In USA the political parties have destroyed our freedom. It is the parties that decide who should represent us and fund their election campaigns.” Jeb Bush was part of the Republican establishment who far out spend Trump and Trump got nominated.
In the present Democratic attempted to find a person to oppose Trump in the next Presidential election one person spent millions and millions and failed to influence voters of primaries to vole for him to the extent that he was not a clears choice of the voters who had watched commercial after commercial.
So, please answer the question: Who elected our current president, Donald Trump?
Have a good day, Jerry
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Herb Rose
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Hi Jerry,
Technically the correct answer is delegates of the electoral college elected Donald Trump president.
Those delegates were chosen by people (republicans, democrats, and independents) who were fed up with the present state of affairs and how the major parties had caused this decline. Republicans run on balanced budgets but never have them when elected. Democrats run on better schools, health care, and poverty but when elected the problems worsen. Repocrats or Demlicans it makes no difference.
Trump was elected by dissatisfied people that wanted change even if that change meant electing an egotistical amoral con man.
Have a good day,
Herb
Squidly
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Hi Jerry,
Fundamentally for the Republican party, the primary voters nominated Donald Trump to run for President as a Republican. For the most part, the Republican party actually values the voice of their voters in such elections. For the most part.
As for the Democrat party, it should be (but sadly isn’t) painfully obvious to everyone that their voters have virtually no voice at all who is nominated to run for President. Just look at the primary process of the Democrat party. There really is not process, it’s nothing but a bunch of convoluted smoke and mirrors to cover for the fact that the Democrat party heads (the establishment) dictate who they will run in the general election. As if this didn’t become ever apparent in 2016 to everyone. Those that still don’t see it are either completely blind or completely stupid, and the Democrat party absolutely relies on this.
This is nothing new. The Democrat party has operated like this since it’s inception in 1792. The Republican party is not filled with saints either, but they are far and away better than the Democrat party, and the historical record clearly shows this.
What the Republicans did not see coming was a man named Donald J. Trump. Although the Republican party made a thinly veiled attempt to thwart the rise of Donald Trump during the primaries, they did so too little and too late, Donald Trump became their nominee to their utter surprise and dismay. Recall that the Republican establishment did all but throw in the towel and concede to Hillary Clinton in the general election, providing Donald Trump with little to no help during the entire election process. Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton virtually and almost entirely on his own.
Why did Donald Trump win the general election? .. because he is a populist. The Democrats can thank their saint Obama for much of that. Obama opened the door to populism in the United States. Obama was elected twice virtually purely on populism. As evidence of this, Obama won a second term despite a poor economy and an utterly failed first term. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he had a lot of establishment, media, entertainment and academic help, not to mention many people willing to commit voter fraud on his behalf. But all of this also fed into the 2016 election as people were much more wise to the games being played than the political establishments (on both sides) calculated. Both political parties totally underestimated the American populace, as was evident by their “polling” vs “reality” results (much of which is fabricated to begin with).
Donald Trump won because the American people are getting sick and tired of the lies and corruption in our government. Donald Trump won because people are beginning to feel their liberty slipping away. Donald Trump won because hopefully enough people are beginning to wake up and realize that we can never go back to another Obama type presidency again or our liberty will vanish in the blink of an eye.
I whole heatedly believe that Donald Trump is going to win the 2020 Presidential election as well, and not just by a little bit, but by a historic landslide. When people really learn what this whole “pandemic” has been about, they are going to be extremely pissed and I don’t believe they are going to be willing to allow Democrat control of this country for quite awhile, perhaps an entire generation.
It’s interesting that one may here comments like “just think if Hillary Clinton would have been President” .. although I absolutely shutter and turn pale white at the thought, I also realize that we would not have seen such a contrived “pandemic” had Clinton been President. The only reason we have seen such a thing unfold now is because of Donald J. Trump, Boris Johnson and BREXIT. These three elements are the current kryptonite to the global leftist agenda that is hell bent on world domination, the elimination of 70% of the worlds population and the enslavement of the remaining. The must get rid of these threats at all cost, no matter if it means destroying the worlds economies in the process. And that is exactly what they are attempting to do now.
But to your original question, “who elected Donald Trump?” .. We The People, in a rare feat of defiance against the establishment, elected Donald Trump. And we are going to do it again this November because it matters more now than it ever has before. If we don’t win this one, we’re toast for sure.
Brian James
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Apr 22, 2020 French Dr. Didier Raoult DESTROYS Liberal Media and VA Junk Report on Hydroxychloroquine Treatment
French Researcher Dr. Didier Raoult DESTROYS Liberal Media and VA Junk Report on Hydroxychloroquine Treatment.
https://youtu.be/7H7_pwhINDA
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Brian James
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Apr 5, 2020 Listen: Explosive talk on the 5G-Coronavirus connection, by alleged former senior Vodafone executive
In it, the speaker disclosed a startling perspective on the Coronavirus-5G connection.
https://www.takebackyourpower.net/listen-vodafone-executive-5g-coronavirus/
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Wildman 100%
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Yeah right, just what americans need, more damaging and fatal prescription and over-the-counter drugs and treatments designed and promoted by dis-educated scientists and physicians that haven’t really tested the procedures accurately or scientifically proved that even certain diseases and afflictions actually exist in the “natural” world. As far as that satanic and moral degenerate in the “half-wit house” is concerned, he’s been stealing from, defrauding and selling-out americans and america for most of his debauched life and has only accelerated this theft and fraud since he’s occupied the presi-puppet office. If it were up to me, his head would be sitting on top of a pike in his “Solomon’s temple replica” penthouse, along with all of the other Supercriminal degenerate globalists and his fellow Supercriminal Socio-Psychopathic, Genocidal Megalomaniacs.
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