A Fox News medical analyst defended President Trump’s announced usage of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against the coronavirus.
“I think it’s reasonable,” said Dr. Marc Siegel on Monday. “As you know, I think that that drug saved my father’s life.”
Trump sent shock waves through the political and medical community Monday when he told reporters he has been taking the anti-malaria drug for a number of days.
“I happen to be taking it. I’m taking it, hydroxychloroquine. … A couple weeks ago, I started taking it,” he told reporters. “I get a lot of positive calls about it. … I take a pill every day.”
The announcement sparked a mixture of shock, outrage, and amusement from pundits and medical experts.
Siegel said those reactions are an unnecessary distraction during a national health crisis.
“Ridiculous! It shouldn’t be. And that, by the way, has led hydroxychloroquine to have to take a backseat,” he said. “This political fighting over this virus interferes with the actual medicine we are seeing here. And I’m deeply disturbed by that. And I think the president has every right to take this, and his doctor, who I respect, has every right to give it to him.”
Hydroxychloroquine has seen some positive results in critically ill coronavirus patients but has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use outside of a hospital setting.
