President Trump is sticking by his use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent the coronavirus despite criticism he has received from media pundits and some medical experts.
“This is an individual decision to make,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “But it’s had a great reputation. And if it was was somebody else other than me, people would say, ‘Gee, isn’t that smart?'”
The president disclosed on Monday that he has been taking the unproven anti-malarial drug for over a week to protect against contracting COVID-19. The revelation stunned and sparked backlash from members of Congress, the press, and the medical community.
Hydroxychloroquine, which is available as a generic drug, is often used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus but has been touted by the president as a potential treatment for the coronavirus. However, it is recommended by medical experts not to be taken by those with underlying respiratory conditions or heart ailments, and its side effects can cause muscle weakness and heart arrhythmia.
A Department of Veterans Affairs study showed that a number of veterans in a vulnerable population with underlying conditions died while taking hydroxychloroquine at a hospital, but Trump poked holes in the survey discrediting the drug.
“If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape, they were very old, almost dead,” he said. “It was a Trump enemy statement.”
The president has frequently promoted the drug during the coronavirus pandemic even though it is not a proven treatment. The Food and Drug Administration has 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.
