As the New York Post recently reported, a survey of 6,227 physicians in 30 countries found that hydroxychloroquine was rated the most effective coronavirus treatment, with 72 percent of physicians in Spain reporting they had prescribed it.
Still, as President Trump touted the possible game-changer in the treatment of COVID-19, the media narrative kicked in that hydroxychloroquine was a hazard, with CNN’s Brian Stelter fretting that Trump was pushing a “dangerous and unconfirmed” treatment at his “disturbing” White House press briefings. What do you have to lose trying it? “Just your life, I suppose” answered Obama bro Jon Favreau.
It’s no secret that scientists are working on a vaccine for COVID-19, but it’s been a secret in the mainstream media that hydroxychloroquine seems to be helping a lot of patients, as both they and they doctors attest on social media.
In that spirit, the New York Times on Saturday ran a feature on Dr. Andre Kalil, “a principal investigator in the federal government’s clinical trial of drugs that may treat the coronavirus.” Kalil doesn’t want people to forget that many drugs that showed promise ended up killing people.
"Many drugs we believed were fantastic ended up killing people," Dr. Andre Kalil said. "It is so hard to keep explaining that." https://t.co/B3zTbAMWls
— NYT Health (@NYTHealth) April 11, 2020
The Times reports:
Beginning every morning at 5:30, Dr. Andre Kalil makes himself a double espresso, runs 10 kilometers, makes additional double espressos for himself and his wife, and heads to his office at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
A deluge awaits him.
Calls and insistent emails pile up each day. Patients and their doctors are clamoring for untested coronavirus treatments, encouraged by President Trump, who said that “we can’t wait” for rigorous studies of the anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and that ill patients should have ready access to experimental medicines.
The Times seems particularly upset that people are encouraged by President Trump, period.
“This scientist”. Singular.
— Charles Bellows (@charles_bellows) April 11, 2020
This ‘drug’ has been around for many years. It’s so hard to keep explaining that. TDS causes mental lapses and blindness.
— Tom Brown (@trichbrown) April 11, 2020
Except that with this drug we've known for decades what the side effects are. This is a very safe drug.
— Ben Peterson (@jazzfan71) April 11, 2020
I know many people that have to take Hydroxychloroquine for things like Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis. They are fine and side effects if any are fairly minor.
— The Chef (@thechef71) April 11, 2020
Give specifics/numbers of people who have given #Hydroxychloroquine who have died BECAUSE of drug! This drug has been given for decades with minor side affects. Most severe side affects are caused by long time high dosage uses, giving it to people with this virus is short term
— Cindy Woods (@wolf1u2) April 11, 2020
And many more drugs we believed were fantastic were and saved WAY MORE LIVES then they took.
It's called a Cost/Reward analysis.
It is so hard to keep explaining that.
— Infinitely American (@8ly_American) April 11, 2020
NYT: doctors against drugs. New low
— NYT is Walter Duranty paper of record (@pihto333) April 11, 2020
We get it
You never want the lockdown to end— Xander (@SeaPort64) April 11, 2020
The media wants this to go on and on. https://t.co/PIqvvWurB8
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 11, 2020
In reverse:
Trump: “We should go slow with this drug. I don’t want anyone getting hurt. It would be irresponsible for me to get people’s hopes up.”
Media: “The Bad Orange Man is hiding the cure!!!”— Bookshelf Q. Battler (@bookshelfbattle) April 11, 2020
Every single drug has side effects. This is ridiculous.
— Laura (@NonsenseEnd) April 11, 2020
— ??????? ????? (@gazordroig) April 11, 2020
NYT bears some responsibility in the deaths of thousands of Americans.
— Brian Joseph (@BrianJoseph27) April 11, 2020
F off. #FakeNewsMediaNYT
— Mr CAH (@cahtx01) April 11, 2020
We’re sort of caught between the media saying to be patient and wait for a vaccine that’s been properly tested in clinical trials and the media almost gleefully reporting that the United States has the highest death toll and it’s climbing daily. Let doctors and patients decide what they want to try.
Related:
New narrative: Hydroxychloroquine is dangerous and deadly and President Trump needs to be silenced https://t.co/PU75SHHpOq
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 6, 2020
