- Twice as many patients survived when given hydroxychloroquine
- There were no heart-related side effects reported
- Early treatment appears to be key
The anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine helped lower the death rate in Covid-19 patients in the most recent study of the drug conducted by Henry Ford Health System.
Read more from Henry Ford Health System here.
Cardiologist Dr. William O’Neill, a medical director at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, first spoke with “Full Measure” about the study while it was underway in May. The findings have just been published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The large scale analysis examined 2,541 patients who had been hospitalized in six hospitals between March 10 and May 2, 2020.
More than twenty-six percent (26.4%) of patients who did not receive hydroxychloroquine died. Nearly seventy-four percent (73.6%) survived.
But among those who received hydroxychloroquine: 13% died and 87% survived.
One suggested concern flagged in previous studies of hydroxychloroquine did not materialize in the Henry Ford Health System Study: heart-related adverse events.
The positive results compared to some other studies of hydroxychoroquine could be attributed, in part, to the timing of treatment say the study’s scientists. Ninety-one percent (91%) of the patients in the study were given hydroxychloroquine within 48 hours of admission.
The study patients were at least 18 years old with a median age of 64. Fifty-six percent (56%) were African-American.
The study also found that patients who received the antibiotic azithromycin alone, or a combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, had a slightly better survival rate than those not treated with the drugs.
The analysis found 22.4% of those treated only with azithromycin died and 77.6% survived. Twenty point one percent (20.1%) treated with a combination of azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine died and 79.9% survived.
More than 26% (26.4%) of patients who were not treated with either medicine died and 73.6% survived.
“Our analysis shows that using hydroxychloroquine helped save lives,” said neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Kalkanis, CEO, Henry Ford Medical Group and Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Henry Ford Health System. “As doctors and scientists, we look to the data for insight. And the data here is clear that there was benefit to using the drug as a treatment for sick, hospitalized patients.”
The study scientists point out that other reports on hydroxychloroquine that had less positive, mixed, or negative results were of different populations; administered hydroxychloroquine later during illness; used different doses, and/or the studies were not peer-reviewed.
The findings have been highly analyzed and peer-reviewed. We attribute our findings that differ from other studies to early treatment, and part of a combination of interventions that were done in supportive care of patients, including careful cardiac monitoring. Our dosing also differed from other studies not showing a benefit of the drug. And other studies are either not peer reviewed, have limited numbers of patients, different patient populations or other differences from our patients.”
Dr. Marcus Zervos, co-author of study, division head of Infectious Disease for Henry Ford Health System
President Trump has garnered extensive criticism in the media for saying that if hydroxychloroquine proves to work in treating coronavirus, it could be a game changer.
Henry Ford Health System is also studying to see if hydroxychloroquine can prevent coronavirus. That study is titled: “Will Hydroxychloroquine Impede or Prevent COVID-19” or “WHIP COVID-19.”
The study is enrolling 3,000 healthcare and frontline workers, but scientists say they are having trouble getting enough test volunteers due, in part, to the bad publicity surrounding hydroxychloroquine in the media; and because the government stepped in to limit use of the drug for coronavirus after criticism and safety concerns.
“Currently, the drug should be used only in hospitalized patients with appropriate monitoring, and as part of study protocols, in accordance with all relevant federal regulations,” says Dr. Marcus Zervos, co-author of study.
He adds that the possibility of a Covid-19 surge in the fall or sooner shows an urgency to identifying inexpensive and effective therapies and preventions. Hyrdoxychloroquine can cost just pennies where other potential treatments, such as remdesivir, can cost thousands of dollars.
Click the link below to watch the Full Measure investigation about hydroxychloroquine:
https://fullmeasure.news/news/cover-story/hydroxychloroquine
Where do you find a doctor to prescribe HCQ. I keep hearing great results but you can’t get it ????
Long Island, NY.
Keep looking and you’ll find it.
Shows the mechanism of how hydroxy stops Covid-19: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7128678/
The references at the end of the article are also useful.
Dr. Fauci stated in a congressional hearing today that he does not support the use of Hydroxychloroquine because there have been no studies with conclusions based on using a controlled placebo method. Is that the only way to determine treatment and prevention?
Physicians are not prohibited from prescribing Hydroxy. If you test positive with Covid-19 you can always ask your health care provider about Hydroxy.
However, most health care providers are not prescribing Hydroxy for preventing or treating Covid-19 because double blind research studies showing Hydroxy to be ineffective. Hydroxy is effective in treating other illnesses and has been for many years.
If Hydroxy was getting positive results for patients that have Covid-19, front line health care workers, caring for tens of thousands of suffering patients every day, would be the first using it.
The authors of the Henry Ford study appear to be using Hydroxy in combination with another medication. While their results appear encouraging the study’s authors also clearly say further testing, a double blind study, is still needed before they could definitely say Hydroxy is effective in preventing or treating Covid-19. The authors want to share what they believe is encouraging news with Hydroxy yet caution more research is still needed. And unfortunately human research studies with medications takes a great amount of time.
Again, there’s no prohibition against prescribing Hydroxy. Most healthcare providers have simply not had positive results using Hydroxy with Covid-19. Discuss the use of Hydroxy with your healthcare provider to help you decide what might be best If you test positive for Covid-19.
I want to thank all you who are determined to destroy HCQ .at every turn. I am one of those who will die a horrible death from COVID-19. Why the heck should I get something that you will not take. But are staunchly opposed to. I guess my free will is a slave to your free will. And my life does not matter. Only your opinion truly matters. By turning this into a personal battle of wills you are stressing people, harming people and killing people — like me. You remove hope. You leave people like me thinking of suicide to avoid a terrible month long death spiral. Every person I talk to, walk by, or followed behind might be the instrument of my death. Try living like that and reading self righteousness dribble. Your parents and God are proud of you. You have followed the golden rule. “Do unto others as a mob, hurt someone and run. Heck with the consequences. It does not affect me.” That was there teaching to you.
Cannot you not let others think for themselves? Is it truly that devastating to your life or ego to allow others hope and/or think for themselves? Make what they think is the best reasoned decision for themselves? To exercise som control over their own destiny? I will pray for all of you who so quickly damn me.
You must have Zinc with the HCQ. HCQ is an ionophore and makes it mush easier for Zinc to cross into cells through their membranes. HCQ is the gun and Zinc is the bullet. Once Zinc is in the cell, it takes interferes greatly with a virus’ ability to hijack the RNA for replication. One dose of Zinc shot into cells by HCQ can pause viral action for several hours. This gives the white blood cells and immune system the time it needs to keep identifying and destroying viral pathogens. And this is not just for COVID. Mankind is now going to wake up to the fact that using a Zinc ionophore (HCQ is just one type) is how to treat ANY virus. Common cold, flu, HIV, etc. Ever wonder why HCQ has been prescribed for Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis? It’s because those diseases aren’t “auto immune” (although from a outside perspective it looks that way), they are caused by a viral (and likely parasitic) component that the body can’t rid itself of. Getting Zinc into the cells helps for a time to stop replication and the patient feels better. Zinc is far, far better as a profalictic to prevent virus’ from taking hold and exploding throughout the body. If taken with HCQ after the virus has bloomed, it won’t now prevent it but it will help keep the immune system on top so you will recover days quicker than you would with the standard immune response we all have by nature.
This was a retrospective study where people were not randomized and people who received hydroxychloroquine were twice as like to have received dexamethasone and 267 people who were still hospitalized were excluded from the data analysis. Sorry too many weaknesses to be called solid science.
Looks like a significant number of the patients had steroids. Recent studies indicate that dexamethasone, a steroid, has done remarkably well in treating the virus. This study, performed observationally, can’t remove that 1530 people were given HCQ and Dex. How do you know the results aren’t due to the Dex vs HCQ? Also, 267 patients who were originally counted were discounted which is a significant amount of the population (10%). They needed to eliminate other treatments (Dex) to truly say what made the difference.
You are one of the very few REAL investigative reporters in America!
Thank you for your work!
Sincerely,
T.Mike
So basically… Donald Trump was tight 4 months ago and the stupidity of the media lambasted him