US President Donald Trump stunned health experts with the revelations of his recent practice. The President of the United States had been taking anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to fight off COVID-19 even though he's showing "zero symptoms." His actions, as surprising as they may be, come after health officials and the FDA warned of serious side effects of the drug in treating COVID-19.
Trump said that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine, a drug he touted as a possible "game-changer" treatment for COVID-19, for about a week and a half. What's more? The White House doctor had signed off the use of the unproven drug by the US President.
"I asked him, 'What do you think?' He said,'Well if you'd like it.'" I said, 'Yeah I'd like it," Trump said at 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," he added.
A dangerous combination?
In addition to the hydroxychloroquine, Trump said he has also taking zinc, and he has taken an initial dose of azithromycin or Z-Pak. A few weeks ago, the FDA issued a warning about the drug, saying there were serious side-effects in COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine in combination with antibiotic azithromycin. According to a CNBC report, patients had developed serious heart rhythm problems.
Even the use of hydroxychloroquine hasn't been proven to be effective, in fact serious side effects such as muscle weakness and heart arrhythmia have been noted in patients treated with the anti-malaria drug. A recent study revealed that hydroxychloroquine did not help COVID-19 patients, instead, it increased the risk of cardiac arrest.
'What do you have to lose'
But Trump's response to possible dangers of the drug was baffling. In fact, the president said that he had been getting a lot of positive letters with good feedback for the drug, even if it is not effective.
"And it seems to have an impact -- and maybe it does, maybe it doesn't -- but if it doesn't, you're not going to get sick or die. This is a, a pill that's been used for a long time for 30, 40 years on the malaria and or lupus to, and even on arthritis I guess from what I understand, so it's been heavily tested in terms of," Trump said.
"What do you have to lose," he added.
