But there is cause for optimism since a recent study in France showed some benefit of Hydroxychloroquine combined with another antibiotic called Azithromycin. Adding Azithromycin seemed to boost the effect of hydroxychloroquine in clearing the coronavirus. Clinical studies are starting now to get solid evidence of the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, supported by different institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Just within the last 24 hours (3/30/2020), the Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine for emergency use, but we still don’t know if they work against this infection!
While we are optimistic, we were also optimistic about Kaletra, as I discussed in the beginning, but it didn’t pan out. We will simply have to wait for the results of the studies. This treatment should only be accessed through a licensed health professional! But there are consequences to claiming benefits of drugs against COVID-19 that aren’t proven. People go out and hoard the drug for a disease that it isn’t proven to work making the drug unavailable to people with diseases for whom the drug definitely works. Literally as I sit writing this, I hear the report from a man who depends on hydroxychloroquine to control his Lupus who is no longer able to get it.
It’s because all the hydroxychloroquine has been sequestered for COVID-19, in spite of the fact it is unproven. Lupus is a nasty disease that can be deadly. Hopefully he will find a supply of the drug. A couple of other studies have already started and are enrolling patients. An investigational drug called Remdesivir has started at the NIH and is quickly enrolling patients. It is a drug that directly blocks the ability of the virus to replicate in a test tube.
Let’s hope it does the same in patients with COVID-19 and we get the results soon. Another approach is to utilize the blood of the tens of thousands of people who have recovered from a coronavirus infection. People who have recovered from the infections should have antibodies to the virus. Giving serum from a recovered person with antibodies to a sick patient who is struggling to make their own antibodies often provides the boost they need to fight off the virus. This is called convalescent serum and it is a sound clinical practice that has been used with other infections and was recently used to some success in the Ebola virus outbreak. Studies have started and are ongoing.
We are still early in this epidemic in the US cases will likely skyrocket before things start to get better. Sadly, there will be more deaths. This is why you must adhere to the social distancing and other self-quarantine guidelines. I see far too many people just totally ignoring the social distancing guidelines and congregating and interaction like all is well. The reality is that if you get sick, you may not be able to get tested, there may not be appropriate medical resources in the hospital for your emergency care and we still don’t have a confirmed treatment. Please follow the guidelines and stay safe.