UK succours up to Trump and blows £millions on drugs that don’t work

TruePublica Editor: The mainstream media reports that Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug being taken by Donald Trump as an unproven protection against coronavirus, is being bought in bulk by the UK in case it does turn out to be an effective Covid-19 treatment.

Yes, you did read that right. ‘In case’ – it turns out to do something. The biggest possible piece of evidence we have that this is fantastical nonsense is, first and foremost, that Donald Trump thinks its OK. The second is merely that all the evidence, after considerable scrutiny by experts such as scientists, pharmacists, statisticians and virologists is that – it has no effect except one – it could kill you.

It appears our Ministers are seeking 16m tablets in packets of up to 100 as part of a £35m contract put out to tender on Friday.

The drug is being tested by government scientists, health officials said. They are securing additional supplies so it can be distributed among the population if required.

The contract, which was uploaded to a government website on 15 May, is an “open opportunity” for pharmaceutical suppliers to supply more than 33m tablets of various drugs between June and next January.

There is no evidence hydroxychloroquine can prevent coronavirus, and regulators have warned the drug could cause heart problems.

The BMJ published this press release without membership/paywall just five days ago entitled:

 

Clinical efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in patients with covid-19 pneumonia who require oxygen: observational comparative study using routine care data

25 specialists were included in reviewing comparative observational study using data collected from routine care. They were biostatisticians, doctors, professors and pharmacists. Their combined conclusion to this work, which you can READ HERE was that:

“Hydroxychloroquine has received worldwide attention as a potential treatment for covid-19 because of positive results from small studies. However, the results of this study do not support its use in patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 who require oxygen.”

 

This editorial piece published by the BMJ, just yesterday entitled: Lack of efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in covid-19 – frustratingly says – “And, of course, there is hydroxychloroquine, the unproven and probably harmful drug that the US president is currently taking for post-exposure prophylaxis.”

£35 million – thrown down the drain – in case it works. The government might just as well spent £35m on a wishing well manned by pink unicorns.

 

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