Junk Science? Number 110: Hydroxycloroquine – no benefit; more deaths
The research study being widely touted by the media to show Donald Trump suggested a flawed drug is little more than a sham; a truly dreadful piece of science.
According to CNN,“Coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine, a treatment touted by President Trump, were no less likely to need mechanical ventilation and had higher deaths rates compared to those who did not take the drug, according to a study of hundreds of patients at US Veterans Health Administration medical centers.”
Note the opening 10 words. The report is political.
Actually, this was a small study of 368 patients with only 97 having taken Hydroxychloroquine. The 97 had a 27.8% death rate; the non-HCQ group only 11.4% death rate. So it looks as if the HCQ made things more than twice as bad.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (Dr. Fauci wants a vaccine) and the University of Virginia.
Just a few problems.
The samples were ‘chosen’ from Veterans ’ medical records. No randomisation was applied for either age or the length of time the patient had had Covid-19. One group could have been much older than the other, it could have had a history of chest infections – who knows.
The HCQ package has anti-viral properties. It works by blocking ‘Replicase ’, an enzyme that copies the viral RNA. Thus it is crucial that the drug combination is used early before the virus has had a chance to spread widely.
Although the researchers compared those who took HCQ, with those who took HCQ and Azithromycin, the biggest flaw is the lack of any comment about Zinc. HCQ is an ionophore; it carries Zinc into the cell – it is Zinc, in particular, that blocks the Replicase.
The French to date have tested Hydroxychloroquine at low doses with zinc and azithromycin and are saying that only 10 out of 2600 have died in their Clinical studies.
Clearly the Virginia Study (aided by the widespread Democratic Media coverage) is a contender for the Junk Science award of the year.
To read more on Covid and Hydroxychloroquine go HERE.
