In response to reports that a doctor was removed from a federal post after questioning hydroxychloroquine treatment, Coronavirus War Room Director Zac Petkanas issued the following statement:
“Trump’s obsession with pushing hydroxychloroquine when he should have been focused on addressing America’s testing crisis was always eyebrow raising. This was especially true after a recent study by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that more COVID-19 patients died after taking the drug than when they received standard care.
“However, the revelation that Dr. Rick Bright was removed from his post after correctly questioning the safety and efficacy of this unproven anti-malaria medication takes Trump’s recklessness to a whole new level. This choice to sideline one of America’s leading experts on coronavirus therapeutics and vaccines will undoubtedly mean more Americans will get sick and more will likely die.”
“In a time of crisis, the country needs a steady and trusted leader who is guided by experts and science. By touting unproven medical solutions like hydroxychloroquine and then silencing medical experts who express disagreement with his non-medical opinion, Trump is showing he’s exactly the kind of dangerous leader we’ve come to expect. Once again, he’s proving that he’d rather play politics than save people’s lives.”
BACKGROUND:
Dr. Rick Bright Was Removed From His Federal Post After Questioning Unproven, Trump-Backed Hydroxychloroquine Treatment:
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Dr. Rick Bright Was Abruptly Dismissed From His Post As Director Of HHS’ BARDA After Pressing For A Rigorous Vetting Of Chloroquine And Hydroxychloroquine, Unproven Drugs Trump Has Touted As Cures To COVID-19. “The doctor who led the federal agency involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine said on Wednesday that he was removed from his post after he pressed for a rigorous vetting of a coronavirus treatment embraced by President Trump. The doctor said that science, not ‘politics and cronyism’ must lead the way. Dr. Rick Bright was abruptly dismissed this week as the director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, and as the deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response.” [New York Times, 4/22/20]
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Dr. Rick Bright Said Of His Firing: “Contrary To Misguided Directives, I Limited The Broad Use Of Chloroquine And Hydroxychloroquine, Promoted By The Administration As A Panacea, But Which Clearly Lack Scientific Merit.” “‘Specifically, and contrary to misguided directives, I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit,’ he said. ‘While I am prepared to look at all options and to think ‘outside the box’ for effective treatments, I rightly resisted efforts to provide an unproven drug on demand to the American public,’ Dr. Bright said, describing what ultimately happened: ‘I insisted that these drugs be provided only to hospitalized patients with confirmed Covid-19 while under the supervision of a physician. These drugs have potentially serious risks associated with them, including increased mortality observed in some recent studies in patients with Covid-19.’” [New York Times, 4/22/20]
Trump Has Enthusiastically Promoted The Unproven Hydroxychloroquine As A Magical Cure For Coronavirus:
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Trump Promoted Hydroxychloroquine On April 5th,Saying “There Are Some Very Strong, Powerful Signs” Of Its Strength. “Standing alongside two top public health officials who have declined to endorse his call for widely administering the drug, Mr. Trump suggested that he was speaking on gut instinct and acknowledged that he had no expertise on the subject. Saying that the drug is ‘being tested now,’ Mr. Trump said that ‘there are some very strong, powerful signs’ of its potential, although health experts say that the data is extremely limited and that more study of the drug’s effectiveness against the coronavirus is needed.” [The New York Times, 4/5/20]
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Trump Tweeted About Hydroxychloroquine On March 21st, Saying It Had “A Real Chance To Be One Of The Biggest Game Changers In The History Of Medicine.” “HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains – Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents)………be put in use IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE ARE DYING, MOVE FAST, and GOD BLESS EVERYONE! @US_FDA @SteveFDA @CDCgov @DHSgov.” [Twitter, @realDonaldTrump, 3/21/20]
For Months, Donald Trump Chose To Ignore The Advice Of Medical Experts On Hydroxychloroquine Even As Evidence Emerged That It Was Dangerous
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HEADLINE: “Man Dies After Taking Chloroquine In An Attempt To Prevent Coronavirus.” [NBC, 3/24/20]
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HEADLINE: “Mayo Clinic Cardiologist: ‘Inexcusable’ To Ignore Hydroxychloroquine Side Effects.” [NBC News, 4/7/20]
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A Small Study Of Chloroquine Was Halted In Brazil After Coronavirus Patients Taking A Higher Dose Of Chloroquine Developed Irregular Heart Rates. “A small study in Brazil was halted early for safety reasons after coronavirus patients taking a higher dose of chloroquine developed irregular heart rates that increased their risk of a potentially fatal heart arrhythmia.” [New York Times, 4/12/20]
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President of American Medical Association Dr. Patrice Harris Said Of Using Hydroxychloroquine To Treat COVID-19: “You Could Lose Your Life.” [CNN, “Situation Room,” 4/6/20]
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Sahlgrenska University Hospital In Sweden Halted The Use Of Chloroquine Against Covid-19 Because Of Possible Serious Side-Effects, Including Its Impact On The Heart. “‘There were reports of suspected more serious side effects than we first thought,’ Magnus Gisslen, a professor and chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital infection clinic, told the Gothenburg Post on April 1, Newsweek reported. ‘We cannot rule out serious side effects, especially from the heart, and it is a hard-dosed drug. In addition, we have no strong evidence that chloroquine has an effect on COVID-19,’ Magnus Gisslen said.” [WebMD, 4/7/20]