Since my last article discussing experimental treatments for COVID-19, we have results from a clinical trial conducted in China on the effectiveness of Kaletra (published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine). Unfortunately, the study didn’t show any benefit from the drugs. This illustrates a crucial point for everyone to understand: wait for the research! Kaletra works against the virus in a test-tube and it seemed to have some benefit in a related coronavirus; it didn’t work against this coronavirus. It is important that the studies be designed well with clearly defined markers of success, otherwise the results may not be clear or offer the wrong answer to the question.
Along these lines, a couple weeks ago, the president touted the drug Chloroquine as a cure for COVID-19 and said that thousands of doses of the drug were being made. This was not true. Chloroquine has not been proven to be effective for this infection. As a result of the president’s claim, a person accessed some questionable source of Chloroquine and died. He hadn’t even been diagnosed with coronavirus.
Others have overdosed on the drug and are seriously ill. At this point, I really have to say that for your own safety, PLEASE do not follow the narrative coming out of the White House. There is a continuous flow of misinformation and outright lies that are confusing and dangerous. Absolutely DO NOT follow Fox News reporting or recommendations! These sources have a different motive that is not related to protecting your health.
It is a sad state of affairs when we cannot get clear guidance in the midst of a deadly crisis. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is an expert infectious disease physician committed to telling the truth about the pandemic, which is often opposite of the messaging coming out of the White House.