COVID-19
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Trump at it again.
US President Donald Trump has said he is taking hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, despite public health officials warning it may be unsafe.
Speaking at the White House, he told reporters he started taking the malaria and lupus medication recently.
"I'm taking it for about a week and a half now and I'm still here, I'm still here," was his surprise announcement.
There is no evidence hydroxychloroquine can fight coronavirus, and regulators warn the drug may cause heart problems.
What did Trump say?
The 73-year-old president was hosting a meeting devoted to the struggling restaurant industry on Monday, when he caught reporters unawares by revealing he was taking the drug.
"You'd be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the frontline workers before you catch it, the frontline workers, many, many are taking it," he told reporters. "I happen to be taking it."
Asked what was his evidence of hydroxychloroquine's positive benefits, Mr Trump said: "Here's my evidence: I get a lot of positive calls about it."
US President Donald Trump has said he is taking hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, despite public health officials warning it may be unsafe.
Speaking at the White House, he told reporters he started taking the malaria and lupus medication recently.
"I'm taking it for about a week and a half now and I'm still here, I'm still here," was his surprise announcement.
There is no evidence hydroxychloroquine can fight coronavirus, and regulators warn the drug may cause heart problems.
What did Trump say?
The 73-year-old president was hosting a meeting devoted to the struggling restaurant industry on Monday, when he caught reporters unawares by revealing he was taking the drug.
"You'd be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the frontline workers before you catch it, the frontline workers, many, many are taking it," he told reporters. "I happen to be taking it."
Asked what was his evidence of hydroxychloroquine's positive benefits, Mr Trump said: "Here's my evidence: I get a lot of positive calls about it."
There is increasing clinical evidence (i.e. evidence from front line doctors treating actual cases), that hydroxychloroquine is capable of improving the prognosis for people with Covid-19 if administered early enough. Early intervention, i.e. intervention which prevents the disease reaching a severe or critical stage, is crucial. The rubbishing of Trump on this issue, by e.g the BBC, is largely based on one US trial in which the drug was administered to patients already critically ill. It was found not to improve the mortality rate of such patients. But that is not what proponents of the drug advocate using it for; they are advocating it as part of a treatment designed to stop the disease reaching a severe or critical stage.
Here in the UK we are operating a system which delays hospitalisation until the disease has reached a severe, near critical stage. It's designed to save the NHS rather than lives. Has anyone seen any mention of trying to intervene in the course of the disease prior to reaching the stage when hospitalisation is officially allowed? No! What's the official advice? Rest and take paracetamol! Try phoning your doctor and asking him/her what you could do to reduce the chances of ending up in hospital. No answer. Among those worldwide who ARE trying to provide answers, hydroxychloroquine is taken very seriously. Minds need to stay open, not shut down because Donald Trump said something.
Here in the UK we are operating a system which delays hospitalisation until the disease has reached a severe, near critical stage. It's designed to save the NHS rather than lives. Has anyone seen any mention of trying to intervene in the course of the disease prior to reaching the stage when hospitalisation is officially allowed? No! What's the official advice? Rest and take paracetamol! Try phoning your doctor and asking him/her what you could do to reduce the chances of ending up in hospital. No answer. Among those worldwide who ARE trying to provide answers, hydroxychloroquine is taken very seriously. Minds need to stay open, not shut down because Donald Trump said something.
I don't think anyone wants to rule out any drugs which could prove beneficial,what we don't want is Dr Trump putting his opinion into the mix.
On this issue I would say Trump is almost certainly better informed than the anti-Trump knee-jerkers reacting to his press conference "revelation".
From the Guardian:
"The Guardian disclosed last week that the UK government had entered into 16 contracts for chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and chloroquine phosphate, and placed orders for lopinavir-ritonavir.
Contracts with British-based firms were entered into without going to tender on the grounds of “extreme urgency”, according to an online record of the deals."
Maybe Boris has been talking to Donald .........
"The Guardian disclosed last week that the UK government had entered into 16 contracts for chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and chloroquine phosphate, and placed orders for lopinavir-ritonavir.
Contracts with British-based firms were entered into without going to tender on the grounds of “extreme urgency”, according to an online record of the deals."
Maybe Boris has been talking to Donald .........
Not if you read what his own medical advisors believe.
According to doctors, the drug has the potential to cause symptoms including heart failure, suicidal thoughts and signs of liver disease.
Who would you believe?
I believe the Guardian report that our own government has entered into 16 contracts with UK based companies to supply large quantities of this drug. Is the government stocking up against a possible malaria epidemic? Are they planning to increase the incidence of heart failure, suicide and liver disease in the UK? Or might they just be acting on medical advice that hydroxychloroquine has genuine potential as an early stage treatment for Covid-19?
Aren't those the preferred modes of reference used by people who start foaming at the mouth the minute either is mentioned?Donald and Boris, they sound like your best mates, don't they.
Whatever, I'm more interested in hearing what you make of the Guardian report Gandy, and whether it gives you pause about the auto-rubbishing of Trump's statements about hydroxychloroquine.
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Not just those people. The moniker 'Boris' is well chosen, and makes him sound trustworthy. I prefer 'Johnson'.
As for hydroxychloroquine, who knows, there may be something in it. Anything is worth looking into at the moment. Taking it before it's proven tells you much about Trump.
As for hydroxychloroquine, who knows, there may be something in it. Anything is worth looking into at the moment. Taking it before it's proven tells you much about Trump.
If we all wait until it's "proven", a lot of us aren't going to be around to hear the good news that it will help us and we can safely take it .........
And by the way, it may not be "proven" but, fortunately for some, it is already being used in our own hospitals.
Or, it will have bad side effects and won't be our saviour after all. That's why it's being tested as a matter of urgency.
Or it could be Trump getting his mate Boris to help promote a product that he has a business interest in.
It's all about business with Donald!
Dave, apart from actual football, what I've missed most since the season was put on hold is having to agree to disagree with you! 
"They may not like me saying this, but [players' union] the PFA need to put in place salary cuts of between 30% and 50% for all players at all levels until such a time as crowds are allowed back into football stadiums and income streams return."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52790371
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52790371