Trump again defends use of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment

US President Donald Trump once again went against his own health officials to claim that hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug can be used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Trump while talking to the media at the White House said that the use of the anti-malarial drug is only being rejected because he had recommended it to use. Donald Trump also added that he had used the drug for 14 days and he is absolutely fine, further citing recent studies on HCQ by Henry Ford Health Institute and Yale University. 

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"Many doctors think it is extremely successful — the hydroxychloroquine — coupled with the zinc and perhaps the azithromycin.  But many doctors think it’s extremely good, and some people don’t.  Some people — I think it’s become very political. I happen to believe in it.  I would take it.  As you know, I took it for a 14-day period, and I’m here.  Right?  I’m here.  I happen to think it’s — it works in the early stages.  I think frontline medical people believe that too — some, many.  And so we’ll take a look at it," Trump said during the briefing on July 28.

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Health experts' views

Meanwhile, global health experts, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) has repeatedly denounced the use of hydroxychloroquine saying that there is not enough evidence to prove the efficacy and safety of the drug. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had also cautioned against the use of the anti-malarial drug in the treatment of coronavirus patients. Trump's comment came a day after Twitter temporarily banned his eldest son for posting a video promoting the use of the controversial drug. 

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