Detroit Hospital Finds Hydroxychloroquine Cut Significant Covid Mortality Rate in Half — FDA Still Cautions Against Usage
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A Detroit hospital found that the use of hydroxychloroquine cut mortality rates of hospitalized Covid-19 patients in half, the Henry Ford Health System announced Thursday. However, the FDA and other studies have warned against use of the drug.
The study of 2,541 patients hospitalized after testing positive for Covid-19 between March and May died at a 13 percent rate when they took hydroxycholorquine, compared to a 26.4 percent rate of patients not treated with the drug in its six hospitals. The surprising study said nine out of ten people who received the drug took it within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital.
“We’re glad to add to the scientific knowledge base on the role and how best to use therapies as we work around the world to provide insight,” Henry Ford’s Head of Infectious Diseases Marcus Zervos said in a press release. “Considered in the context of current studies on the use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19, our results suggest that the drug may have an important role to play in reducing COVID-19 mortality.”
Prior to Henry Ford’s findings, most studies warned against the usage of the anti-Malaria drug. Two May studies from France and China found hydroxychloroquine ineffective, including the latter warning against adverse reactions. On April 24, the FDA warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine after people reported problems taking it. In June, the FDA doubled down and ended emergency use of the drug.
Hydroxychloroquine first garnered attention as a Covid-19 relief drug when Elon Musk tweeted about it on March 16, while Trump first mentioned the drug on April 5 and asked, “What do you have to lose? What do I know? I’m not a doctor. I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense.”
A month later, President Donald Trump revealed he was taking the drug despite not testing positive for the novel virus, a decision that was widely criticized.
One of the drug’s harshest warnings came a Lancet study, but its findings were retracted in June after being unable to complete an independent audit.
The president has called studies against the usage of hydroxychloroquine a “Trump enemy statement.”
