Trump says he’s been taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent contracting the coronovirus.
What We Know
- Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial drug the Food and Drug administration warned could cause serious heart problems for coronavirus patients.
- The President said he has been taking the drug for about a week and a half with the approval of the White House phsycian. Trump says “All I can say is so far I seem to be OK.” Trump explained “I get a lot of tremendously positive news on the hydroxy”.
- Many medical experts immediately criticized Trumps disicion to take the drug not only because of the danger it poses to his health but because of the example it sets for the public.
- Dr Steven E. Nissen, the chief academic officer of the Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Clevland Clinic stated he is concerned that people will hear about the use of hydroxychloroquine and think taking this drug to prevent COVID-19 come without serious health hazards.
- When Trump publicly embraced hydroxychloroquine back in March to fight against the coronavirus, this caused a run on the dug making it scarce for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis patients, for which it is regularly prescribed.
- A couple of weeks ago the President suggested injecting disinfectants in to the human body could help fight the coronavirus, which caused quite a confusion among Americans who flooded state health hotlines. Companies like Clorox and Lysol pleaded with Americans not to inject or ingest their products.
- Medical experts say all lab studies of hydroxychloroquine in humans have lead to serious side effects. The Presidents decision to take the drug was based on anecdotal evidence, and his own gut over the warnings of the government or any data.
People who take the drug without being monitored by a health care professional have the potential to develop a fatal arrhythmia that could come without any warning.
