US President Donald Trump has once again said that use of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine is effective in the treatmen of novel coronavirus, contradicting his own public officials.
A week after pitching serious tone for the fight against the virus that has claimed hundred of thousands lives, Trump is again back to pushing unproven claims while arguing that malaria medication was only rejected as a potential covid-19 treatment because he had suggested it.
Health experts, meanwhile, keep emphasising that the drug, hydroxychloroquine, is not an effective treatment for the deadly virus. Additionally, U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently withdrew an order than allowed its use as an emergency treatment for Covid-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) also said, “there is currently no proof” that it is effective as a treatment to cure the virus.
Amid this, the US president’s remarks have received much flak from one and all.
Trump’s remarks come after Twitter banned his eldest son for posting a clip touting hydroxychloroquine. He even went on to saying that he had begun taking the unproven medication to halt the virus.
“I’ve been taking it. A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers. Before you catch it. The front-line workers, many, many are taking it,” Trump told the reporters at the White House.
“I can only say that from my standpoint, and based on a lot of reading and a lot of knowledge about it, I think it could have a very positive impact in the early stages. I don’t think you lose anything by doing it, other than politically it doesn’t seem too popular,” he added.
Hydroxychloroquine was first touted as a potential drug by Trump in relation to covid in March. The drug also often used by doctors to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Numerous clinical trials are looking to see if it’s effective in fighting the coronavirus, but it is not a proven treatment yet.
