Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxychloroquine has had a bit of a notorious reputation since the drug was first proposed as a treatment for COVID-19. Without much experience to go on, researchers and doctors initially jumped into trials in the hopes that the malaria medicine would be able to combat the novel coronavirus, and politicians, including President Trump, publicly touted its potential benefits.
But as trials have progressed and data has come in, the verdict on hydroxychloroquine has become increasingly evident: it’s not only ineffective, but also potentially risky.
In many viral outbreaks, scientists have found that most cases of infections can be traced back to a few individuals. These people may be asymptomatic, have professions that require them to travel widely, be diagnosed with other diseases, or have a history that makes them otherwise more susceptible to spreading a pathogen. Typhoid Mary is one famous example.
