Assistant health secretary Adm. Brett Giroir on Sunday declined claims that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine is effective in treating COVID-19, pointing out that there’s no evidence up until now to show that it is.
Giroir, who led the country’s coronavirus screening efforts till June, was asked in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if President Donald Trump‘s continued push for hydroxychloroquine presents a threat to public health.
Hydroxychloroquine at first looked “very appealing” as a possible COVID-19 treatment, but there are no definitive research studies of its effectiveness, Giroir stated.
” At this point in time, there’s been five randomized-control placebo-controlled trials that do not show any advantage to hydroxychloroquine,” he said.
Pressed on whether Trump’s messaging might cause confusion, Giroir said he thinks doctors won’t be affected by “whatever’s on Twitter” when deciding how to treat coronavirus clients.
” There may be circumstances– I do not understand what they are– where a doctor may prescribe it for an individual,” Giroir said. “However I think most doctors and prescribers are evidence-based, and they’re not influenced by what