After President Trump claimed he’s taking the unproven anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent the coronavirus, Fox News’s Neil Cavuto issued a warning to viewers.
The anchor addressed the president’s revelation during his show on Monday, noting that many in the medical community have said taking the drug is “probably not a safe thing to do.” Moments before the segment, Trump said he’s been taking the drug for over a “couple of weeks.”
“I happen to be taking it,” he told reporters during a roundtable event at the White House. “A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers. Before you catch it. The front-line workers, many, many are taking it.”
Hydroxychloroquine, which is available as a generic drug, can be used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It may have side effects such as muscle weakness and heart arrhythmia. It is recommended by medical experts and not to be taken by those with underlying respiratory conditions or heart ailments.
Trump has repeatedly pushed the drug to help in the efforts of fighting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic despite it not yet being a proven treatment. The Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning about the use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine to help treat the coronavirus outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial due to risk of a heart rhythm problem.
Cavuto pointed to a Department of Veterans Affairs study in which a number of veterans in a vulnerable population with underlying conditions were taking the drug at a hospital and died.
“If you are in a risky population here, and you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus, or in a worst-case scenario, you are dealing with the virus, and you are in this vulnerable population, it will kill you. I cannot stress that enough. This will kill you,” he said. “So again, whatever benefits the president says this has … this is a leap that should not be taken casually by those watching at home.”
Cavuto also brought on Dr. Robert Lahita, a doctor at St. Joseph University Hospital, who was originally scheduled to discuss a coronavirus vaccine, to talk about the president’s use of the drug.
“Patients of mine with lupus rheumatoid arthritis have been on this drug forever,” Lahita said. “It’s very useful in those conditions. But as far as our treatment of COVID-19 patients, whether you are slightly ill or very ill, we have seen no effect whatsoever with this drug.”
The doctor recommended all patients considering any type of prevention drug should consult with their doctor or a medical expert before doing so.
“I think everybody should consult with their personal physician,” Lahita said. “Or if you don’t have a personal physician, your emergency room doctor. And be very, very careful of what you put in your mouth and what you swallow, be it liquid or solid. Everything has a trade-off. And these drugs can be very dangerous. And if they don’t have any effect, then there is no reason to take them.”
