Dr. Fauci, in First MSNBC Hit Since April, Nukes Trump-Promoted Conspiracy Video: ‘Bunch of People Spouting Something That Isn’t True’
Dr. Anthony Fauci nuked the coronavirus conspiracy theory video that President Donald Trump promoted on Twitter during his first MSNBC appearance since April — noting it features a “bunch of people spouting something that isn’t true.”
MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell asked Fauci how damaging it was that Trump has recently started to tout hydroxychloroquine as a coronavirus treatment again, despite the fact that the FDA discredited the theory in June.
“The only thing that I can do, Andrea, is do what I’ve done all along, consistently, is that you look at the scientific data and the evidence,” Fauci responded. “And the scientific data, the cumulative data on trials, clinical trials that were valid, namely clinical trials that were randomized and controlled in the proper way, all of those trials showed consistently that hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or Covid-19.”
Mitchell then brought up the conspiracy theories promoted by Trump this week, specifically a video featuring several doctors pushing misinformation regarding the coronavirus — including a claim that masks are not effective and that a cure exists but is being kept from the public. Mitchell asked Fauci if health experts and public figures should be doing more to stop misleading information, as opposed to promoting it on social media.
“You’re absolutely correct, Andrea, and that’s why I’m very explicit and unambiguous when we say we’ve got to follow the science. If a study that’s a good study comes out and shows efficacy and safety for hydroxychloroquine or any other drug that we do, if you do it in the right way, you accept the scientific data,” said Fauci.
“But right now, today, the cumulative scientific data that has been put together and done over a number of different studies, has shown no efficacy. So when there’s a video out there from a bunch of people spouting something that isn’t true, the only recourse you have is to be very, very clear in presenting the scientific data that essentially contradicts that.”
Watch above, via MSNBC.
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