Media slams President Trump over his support of malaria drug to treat COVID-19
Reports from doctors that hydroxychloroquine have been helping coronavirus patients; insight from Dr. Marlow Hernandez, CEO of Cano Health.
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Cano Health CEO Dr. Marlow Hernandez told "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Monday that doctors, not politicians should determine whether the immunosuppressive drug hydroxychloroquine is worth trying as a possible treatment for the coronavirus.
"We've used it on several hundred patients of ours and so far it's pretty good," Hernandez said. "We have lower hospitalizations and lower mortality."
"We've used it on several hundred patients of ours and so far it's pretty good."
"We have 1,500 dedicated professionals with one mission, beating this thing and using every tool. We have good science and a great safety profile, so why not use it?"
THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK STATE BY STATE
President Trump and some other politicians have touted hydroxychloroquine – a drug typically used to treat and prevent malaria – as a possible remedy against the coronavirus following a number of small, early tests that some researchers described as encouraging. However, many members of the mainstream media, as well as some governors and public-health officials have criticized the president for promoting the drug before it underwent a clinical trial.
"The coronavirus pandemic is a medical issue, not a political one and ultimately, it should be between a patient and his or her doctor," Hernandez said.
"And so if you are my patient and you had COVID-19 or a fever for several days, body aches, perhaps cough, shortness of breath, wouldn’t you want to have a conversation with me about whether the drug is right for you?"
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Hernandez said that although the drug has not yet undergone a clinical trial against the virus, it has been effective in treating his patients.
"The coronavirus pandemic is a medical issue, not a political one and ultimately, it should be between a patient and his or her doctor."
"There is science ... small studies ... right now, we have good science, not great but we are in the midst of this terrible pandemic [and] after it's all said and done, we will know the answers for certain and right now, we have to concern ourselves with using every possible tool," he explained
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Hernandez added that every medical professional will have to ask themselves if they did all they could to help their patients once the pandemic ends.
"I want to be able to answer yes and our professionals want to be able to answer yes," he said. "So, that's what it's all about."
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