(Part A)
I skimmed through the 2005 study you posted. As their method, the authors state:
As did I, just now. Admittedly, I just pasted it in a rush this morning before I headed out for the day - without really looking into it much at all. You and
@12intheBox are doing a nice job of offering counter-arguments, and I'm just giving anecdotal stuff for you to reubt. As I said earlier, I didn't really wanna deep dive into this, but now I am. Yay.
The 2005 study found that CQ can affect viral replication
by inhibiting viral gene expression and can also prevent the virus cell infection by
interfering with the glycosylation of SARS-CoV receptors. That's the finding. That 2005 study was cited in an August 2020 study (
found here) that states: CQ and HCQ are recommended for the treatment of COVID-19
in many regions and countries (Mediterranee-infection Hospital
2020).
--At the Chinese National Health Commission, CQ was recommended as one of the COVID-19 treatments options. It recommends a 500 mg oral dose of chloroquine phosphate in adults (contains 300 mg of chloroquine), twice daily, for no more than 10 days. The dosage was later revised by body weight.
--In a French clinical study that included 19 COVID-19 patients, a 600 mg daily dose of HCQ was significantly associated with a decrease or disappearance of viral load in patients (Gautret et al.
2020a).
Based on the results of this study, the U.S. FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to approve the use of CQ and HCQ for the treatment of COVID-19 hospitalized patients with on March 28 (FDA 2020).
Without making this too long, let me skip to three main points in this 8/2020 review that cites the 2005 one.
1. An international vote of 6227 doctors from 30 countries and regions released by the global medical voting company
Sermo found that of the 15 treatment alternatives, 37% of doctors rated HCQ as “the most effective treatment for COVID-19” (Sermo.com
2020). That's 2304 doctors, internationally.
2. The leaders of many health and research agencies were opposed to the FDA decision on March 28 (italicized above). They argued that this decision destroyed the scientific authority of FDA and that it had a clear meaning of just enthusiastically supporting politicians (Piller
2020). That's why the FDA later withdrew its recommendation.
3. The authors of this 2020 review recommend Multicenter randomized controlled clinical trials to clarify the CQ and HCQ efficiency and safety in the COVID-19 treatment; and
DO NOT recommend it for treatment due to neuro toxicities; but DO suggest follow-up of patients who received CQ or HCQ treatment to access their long-term effects and side effects;
and that dosage and their combination regimen with other drugs in clinical trials should be appropriately adjusted.
TLDR;
2304 doctors across 30 countries have used it, had success, and recommend it.
There's still much debate around it, with no consensus. Repeat - NO consensus.
Further studies are needed - we all agree on that.
