Researchers studied 2,500 Covid19 patients in the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan and found “clear benefit” to using Hydroxychloroquine as treatment for the virus.
Of the patients, 2,000 of were given Hydroxychloroquine and/or the antibiotic Azithromycin.
Researchers found that 13% of those who received Hydroxychloroquine alone died, while 26.4% of those who didn’t receive the drug died.
Hydroxychloroquine alone decreased the mortality hazard ratio by 66% and Hydroxy with Azithromycin decreased it by 71%, according to the researchers.
“Our analysis shows that using hydroxychloroquine helped saves lives,” neurosurgeon Dr. Steven Kalkanis, senior vice president and chief academic officer of the health system, said in a statement. “As doctors and scientists, we look to the data for insight. And the data here is clear that there was benefit to using the drug as a treatment for sick, hospitalized patients.”
The median age of patients was 64 and the study was peer reviewed.
“The findings have been highly analyzed and peer-reviewed,” added Dr. Marcus Zervos, division head of Infectious Disease for Henry Ford, who co-authored the study with epidemiologist Dr. Samia Arshad.
Ever since President Trump cited the drug as showing signs of promise in treating Covid19, there seems to have been a concerted effort to delegitimize its use.
The FDA Revoked Emergency Use Authorization for Hydroxychloroquine last month and also warned about using it in combination with Gilead Sciences supposed Covid19 wonder drug Remdesivir.
Last month the Association of American Surgeons & Physicians sued the FDA for Restricting Access to Hydroxychloroquine.
Doctors and researchers who have recommended treatment using Hydroxy have advocated for using it early in a patient’s diagnosis before Covid19 has progressed and with combination with the vitamin Zinc. Zinc serves to inhibit the reproduction of Covid19 cells in the human body.
Few, if any, studies have investigated the effect of Hydroxychloroquine in combination with Zinc.
You can read the study conducted Dr. Zervos and Dr. Arshad here.