Doctors: Over ‘90% Chance’ Hydroxychloroquine Can Help Coronavirus Patients

by Edwin Mora

There is a nearly 92 percent chance that the much-hyped anti-malaria drugs chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) can help patients afflicted by the novel coronavirus, doctors told the governor of Arizona in a letter this week.

“We believe that there is clear and convincing evidence of benefit both pre-exposure and post-exposure,” doctors with the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) declared in the letter, referring to the use of the two drugs against coronavirus.

“Peer-reviewed studies published from January through April 20, 2020, provide clear and convincing evidence that HCQ may be beneficial in COVID-19 [coronavirus illness], especially when used early,” AAPS added in a press release issued Tuesday.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) issued an executive order early this month banning the use of the two drugs as a preventive measure against coronavirus unless peer-reviewed evidence of their effectiveness becomes available.

Citing evidence that the drugs are significantly effective against the coronavirus when used as a preventive measure, AAPS urged Ducey to rescind his executive order.

Dr. Michael Robb, the president of AAPS’ Arizona chapter, and Dr. Jane Orient, the AAPS executive director, wrote:

As of this date, the total number of reported patients treated with HCQ, with or without azithromycin and zinc, is 2,333. Of these, 2,137 or 91.6 percent improved clinically. There were 63 deaths, all but 11 in a single retrospective report from the Veterans Administration, where the patients were severely ill.

Most of the data concerns use of HCQ for treatment, but one study included used the medication as prophylaxis [preventive measure] with excellent results. Many nations, including Turkey and India, are protecting medical workers and contacts of infected persons prophylactically. According to worldometers.info, deaths per million persons from COVID-19 as of Apr 27 are 167 in the U.S., 33 in Turkey, and 0.6 in India.

AAPS further noted in the press release:

The antiviral properties of these drugs have been studied since 2003. Particularly when combined with zinc, they hinder viral entry into cells and inhibit replication. They may also prevent overreaction by the immune system, which causes the cytokine storm responsible for much of the damage in severe cases, explains AAPS. HCQ is often very helpful in treating autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

full story at https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/29/doctors-over-90-chance-hydroxychloroquine-can-help-coronavirus-patients/