WILL CHLOROQUINE REALLY WORK AND IS IT SAFE?

Trump explodes in anger when asked if he's giving false hope to 'scared' Americans by calling malaria drug a 'game-changer' in coronavirus treatment and ordering 'millions of units' - despite Dr. Fauci saying there's NO proof it works or is SAFE

Daily Mail
March 20, 2020

President Donald Trump told reporters the nation has ordered 'millions' of units of the drug 'chloroquine' that he said he has a 'feeling' will be effective against the coronavirus.

'We ordered them. We have millions of units ordered,' Trump said, name checking the German manufacturer Bayer, which he called a 'great company.' 'Millions of units are ordered and we’re going to see what happens,' Trump said.

Trump and health officials referenced the drug yesterday as among those having promising potential to alleviate those suffering from the coronavirus – although Trump was immediately contradicted on claims that it was ready for use.

With major parts of the nation including California and New York now on lock-down to stem the spread of the virus, Trump was upbeat on the prospects for the drug, which has been on the market for years as an anti-malarial medication. 'People may be surprised,' Trump predicted. 'That would be a game-changer.' He said the FDA is 'working on it right now.'

He sparred with an NBC News reporter [Peter Alexander] who asked whether Americans should feel scared and he was trying to show progress and providing them false hope and providing a 'positive spin.' Fauci has said there is no magic drug.

'I would say that you're a terrible reporter, that's what I'd say,' Trump erupted. 'I think it's a very nasty question.' He scolded the reporter: 'The American people are looking for answers and they're looking for hope. And you're doing sensationalism,' Trump said.

He wagged his finger for emphasis and said: 'That's really bad reporting.'
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'There is no miracle drug': Dr Anthony Fauci rebukes Trump over claims anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a 'game-changer' in fight against coronavirus - amid rumors of tensions between the pair

Daily Mail
March 20, 2020

Dr Anthony Fauci has rebuked Donald Trump's claim that anti-malaria drug chloroquine could be a game-changer in the fight against COVID-19.

Dr Facui, who is a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, made the claim during an interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN Thursday evening.

'There's no magic drug for coronavirus right now,' the top doctor told Cooper.

Earlier in the day, Trump told media that there had been positive results after doctors trialled chloroquine on COVID-19 patients, and suggested the drug could be a game-changer.

'It's shown very, very encouraging early results. We're going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately. It's been approved,' he said.

However, Dr Fauci said on CNN just a few hours later: 'Let me put it into perspective for the viewers .. there has been anecdotal non-proven data that it [chloroquine] works... but when you have an uncontrolled trial you can never definitely say that it works'.

He repeated his caution on Friday in an interview with Today, saying: 'Even though the information is anecdotal that they may work, we need to prove it so people would get the right drug that's safe and effective.

'What we're saying is these are drugs that have some suggestion that they may work,' he went on, but that controlled trials needed to be done to prove that they are effective.

'Today there are no proven safe and effective therapies for the coronavirus,' he concluded.