Remdesivir Gets a Price Tag of $3,210 Despite Showing No Evidence of Decreasing COVID-19 Deaths By Stacey Lennox
https://pjmedia.com/columns/stacey-lennox/2020/06/29/remdesivir-gets-a-price-tag-of-3210-despite-showing-no-evidence-of-decreasing-covid-19-deaths-n586084
EXCERPT:
Hydroxychloroquine
Another drug that costs a fraction of what remdesivir does is hydroxychloroquine. It is used in combination with azithromycin and zinc. This drug was highly politicized early in the pandemic because the president expressed hope that it could be effective.
At that time, doctors in the United States who were using the drug combination were clear. It should be used early in the infection, especially in those in high-risk groups. However, the emergency use authorization given by the FDA provided the drug to individuals suffering from severe disease. As discussed above, many of these patients are suffering from a complex, multi-system illness that requires more than a drug combination that slows viral replication.
However, Yale researcher Harvey Risch, M.D., Ph.D., has done a review of studies where the drug combination was used in an outpatient setting. Five studies, including two controlled clinical trials in process, convinced him to conclude in his abstract (emphasis mine):
Hydroxychloroquine+azithromycin has been used as standard-of-care in more than 300,000 older adults with multicomorbidities, with estimated proportion diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmias attributable to the medications 47/100,000 users, of which estimated mortality is <20%, 9/100,000 users, compared to the 10,000 Americans now dying each week. These medications need to be widely available and promoted immediately for physicians to prescribe.
His full study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, takes the nation’s health agencies and the media to task for overstating the risk for cardiac problems when using the drug combination. Dr. Risch’s calculations and the study results demonstrate that far more lives are saved and fewer hospitalizations are occurring when using it. The deaths arising from arrhythmias are very few.
He also makes a clear distinction between the two presentations of COVID-19. He states early treatment is focused on a viral replication problem that triggers the immune response seen in more severe cases. In an interview he said:
Interviewer: But the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 remains highly controversial. Why is there so much disagreement if it is effective?
Dr. Risch: I think that there has been confusion about treating the cold versus treating the pneumonia. These medications don’t seem to work so well for treating the pneumonia. As early as possible is crucial, within the first five to six days of symptoms.
As Dr. Risch notes:
The key to returning society toward normal functioning and to preventing huge loss, of life, especially among older individuals, people with comorbidities, African Americans and Hispanics and Latinos, is a safe, effective and proactive outpatient treatment that prevents ORIGINAL hospitalization in the first place.
Demand Answers
A potential solution to the problems presented by COVID-19 is a particularly good reason for the media to ignore his findings as well as not reporting Dr. Risch’s persuasive data-driven argument for using hydroxychloroquine in combination. That would allow everyone to go back to something near normal, and President Trump would be vindicated.
However, our national health agencies should have to answer the issues Dr. Risch raises regarding their failure to test in appropriate settings, the overstatement of risk, and the promotion of flawed studies like the one done at the VA.
These agencies are responsible for safeguarding the nation’s physical and emotional health. Ignoring the findings that Dr. Risch highlights is malpractice of the highest order. The next time Dr. Fauci in on television, someone should be brave enough to ask.
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