# Legality of Nevada malaria treatment ban **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 25, 2020, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247 "2020-03-25T12:12:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/41 "2020-03-27T16:43:13Z")
Isn’t this practice done all of the time? Oh, yes it is: [Off-label use - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-label_use) So could someone with medical expertise convince me that this just isn’t a middle finger to Trump? Sure, maybe it does not work, but could it be harmful? Any more harmful than side effects of other medications? As long as my doctor gives me the full information as to the possible negatives, why shouldn’t I be able to take it with the blessing of my doctor? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/42 "2020-03-27T17:07:20Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Isn’t this practice done all of the time? Oh, yes it is: [Off-label use - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-label_use) > > So could someone with medical expertise convince me that this just isn’t a middle finger to Trump? Sure, maybe it does not work, but could it be harmful? Any more harmful than side effects of other medications? > > As long as my doctor gives me the full information as to the possible negatives, why shouldn’t I be able to take it with the blessing of my doctor? It has extremely severe side effects, including blindness. It is just as extremely unethical to prescribe a medication for off-label use which has exactly zero proof that it is in any way effective but would certainly hurt many patients needlessly. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/43 "2020-03-27T17:29:10Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Isn’t this practice done all of the time? Oh, yes it is: [Off-label use - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-label_use) > > So could someone with medical expertise convince me that this just isn’t a middle finger to Trump? Sure, maybe it does not work, but could it be harmful? Any more harmful than side effects of other medications? > > As long as my doctor gives me the full information as to the possible negatives, why shouldn’t I be able to take it with the blessing of my doctor? Off-label use happens all the time, yes. In many cases it’s still a shady practice, simply because frequently the drug is used off-label because it couldn’t pass the clinical trial for the condition. Sometimes it’s not a shady practice. Frequently a drug found effective against one type of solid tumor cancer will be used off-label for other similar solid tumor cancers. Because there’s a pretty good case that these tumors respond similarly to similar medications. Myself, I occasionally take a prescription antihistamine off-label for anxiety. But there are strict laws against the drug companies PROMOTING these drugs for off-label use. The pharmaceutical companies employ or pay doctors to promote off-label uses of medication to other doctors. They also frequently ghost write articles for medical journals and pay doctors to put their name on them. I find this to be a shady practice although pharmaceutical companies have their own talking points justifying such practices. I’m not sure about the legality of an untrained person who happens to be the President of the United States promoting a virtually untested drug to millions of people. Probably one of those laws we don’t have because no one thought we needed it. I think it’s immoral, though. The biggest issue in this case isn’t the practice of off-label prescribing. It’s that the one preliminary study appears to be garbage. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/44 "2020-03-27T17:47:41Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It has extremely severe side effects, including blindness. It is just as extremely unethical to prescribe a medication for off-label use which has exactly zero proof that it is in any way effective but would certainly hurt many patients needlessly. Then why would any doctor give it to a patient to treat Covid-19? I have no medical training and therefore no opinion whatsoever about the efficacy of these drugs. Are some suggesting that my doctor might be such a MAGA Trump supporter that he would risk my life for no medical benefit because Trump said so? If so, he would just be hurting Trump by having me go blind and not helping my illness would he not? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/45 "2020-03-27T17:50:25Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Then why would any doctor give it to a patient to treat Covid-19? WAG: Some doctors wouldn’t, but some would just because the patient demanded it. Just like some doctors will prescribe antibiotics for a cold or flu because patients insist on them. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/46 "2020-03-27T18:53:43Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Then why would any doctor give it to a patient to treat Covid-19? > > I have no medical training and therefore no opinion whatsoever about the efficacy of these drugs. Are some suggesting that my doctor might be such a MAGA Trump supporter that he would risk my life for no medical benefit because Trump said so? > > If so, he would just be hurting Trump by having me go blind and not helping my illness would he not? There is no free market solution to prescribing medications. Take anything for any reason is not medicine but quackary. Are some doctors quacks? Certainly. Since you now know better, if your doctor suggests this medication run out the door and contact your state medical association. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/47 "2020-03-27T20:55:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > WAG: Some doctors wouldn’t, but some would just because the patient demanded it. Just like some doctors will prescribe antibiotics for a cold or flu because patients insist on them. I’ve evaluated and supervised my fellow doctors for decades. Some of them just can’t say no to patient requests. They’re people pleasers who wilt under pressure. And it’s difficult to break them of that character defect. I know, I’ve tried. It’s ridiculous, but there it is. It takes close scrutiny and constant supervision to have a chance at changing some of them. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/48 "2020-03-28T00:01:22Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve evaluated and supervised my fellow doctors for decades. > > Some of them just can’t say no to patient requests. They’re people pleasers who wilt under pressure. And it’s difficult to break them of that character defect. I know, I’ve tried. It’s ridiculous, but there it is. It takes close scrutiny and constant supervision to have a chance at changing some of them. But aren’t there some doctors that see some value in these treatments, even if it hasn’t been fully vetted? Maybe there’s some of this “That will shut the patient up” going on, but there have been several doctors in the media that are saying that there is nothing else that can treat this, so in certain circumstances, why not try this? As I said, I know nothing about medicine, so I don’t have an opinion, but I have clients wanting to bring a certain case, and I’ll tell them that their chance of success is exceedingly poor, but if they want, I will try this pretty poor legal argument to see if it sticks. As long as I am being completely honest going in, and it is not just a purely insane and frivolous argument, what is wrong with letting the client/patient make the final decision? It’s not going to kill anyone else if they take these drugs, right? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/49 "2020-03-28T00:18:00Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > But aren’t there some doctors that see some value in these treatments, even if it hasn’t been fully vetted? Yes, they’re idiots. Years ago while working tech support, I came across the case of a doctor who had to get his floppy drive replaced because he’d shoved a 3.5 disk into a 5 inch drive. It’s possible to be an MD and still be a mororn. > [@](#): > > Maybe there’s some of this “That will shut the patient up” going on, but there have been several doctors in the media that are saying that there is nothing else that can treat this, so in certain circumstances, why not try this? Because there is zero proof it would help, substantial proof it might harm, and there are patients out there who do need this drug. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/50 "2020-03-28T00:25:26Z")
I’m a bit disturbed by governors who apparently know so much about medicine that they overrule doctors. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/51 "2020-03-28T00:36:57Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Yes, they’re idiots. > > Years ago while working tech support, I came across the case of a doctor who had to get his floppy drive replaced because he’d shoved a 3.5 disk into a 5 inch drive. It’s possible to be an MD and still be a mororn. I certainly agree. > [@DocCathode](#): > > Because there is zero proof it would help, substantial proof it might harm, and there are patients out there who do need this drug. That’s not what Fauci is saying, and not at all what I have been hearing from numerous media outlets. What I have heard, directly from Fauci and it seems to be the consensus is: There is anecdotal evidence that it works. However, anecdote does not equal data. Medicine is a science and until you have proof you cannot say that medicine X is a good treatment for a certain condition. Fair enough, but that would seem to say that all off-brand uses should be prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/52 "2020-03-28T01:54:47Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Fair enough, but that would seem to say that all off-brand uses should be prohibited. Off label use is generally based on at least a consensus that there’s a moderate amount of halfway decent science to support said use. Unlike the study behind the use of the antimalarials and zithromycin. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/53 "2020-03-28T04:27:06Z")
Administer large doses of heroin to COVID patients. Sure, it’s off-label, but it will quiet them. I hate whiny patients. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/54 "2020-03-28T21:53:44Z")
There is a massive conspiracy by the French government and BIG PHARMA to suppress this cheap miracle cure and discredit the brilliant Dr. Raoult. :smack: > **[Why France is hiding a cheap, tested virus cure](https://asiatimes.com/2020/03/why-france-is-hiding-a-cheap-and-tested-virus-cure/)** > > What’s going on in the fifth largest economy in the world arguably points to a major collusion scandal in which the French government is helping Big Pharma to profit from the expansion of Covid-19.… ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2020, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/55 "2020-03-29T22:55:43Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’m a bit disturbed by governors who apparently know so much about medicine that they overrule doctors. If you follow that through, you’re being a bit disturbed by doctors who apparently know so much about medicine that they overrule other doctors. Because the governors aren’t making this up: they are following medical advice. And this isn’t a one-off special case for COVID-19: restrictions on prescribing and dispensing are a normal part of the medical system. The only thing that’s odd here is that it normally takes years for a government to pull their finger out and enact some kind of necessary medical action. ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/56 "2020-03-30T00:59:25Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > It’s not going to kill anyone else if they take these drugs, right? There’s a very good chance that diverting the limited supply of hydroxychloroquine will kill somebody, specifically lupus patients who don’t respond to the other available treatments. Did you miss that in post 23? ---
**Author:** ![mjmlabs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mjmlabs/32/69_2.png) [@mjmlabs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmlabs)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/57 "2020-04-09T19:46:10Z")
Umm, maybe it’s because I skimmed bits of this thread and skipped some links, but I haven’t seen any mention of QT interval prolongation as a common side effect of hydroxychloroquine. Seems like that should be pointed out: There’s a non-trivial chance that this drug will cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias in a non-trivial subset of patients. (IANAD, but I welcome further comment from them.) So when a Very Stable Genius asks “What do you have to lose,” the answer might be “my very life.” ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Peebles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Jim\_Peebles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_Peebles)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/58 "2020-04-09T23:48:53Z")
> [@mjmlabs](#): > > Umm, maybe it’s because I skimmed bits of this thread and skipped some links, but I haven’t seen any mention of QT interval prolongation as a common side effect of hydroxychloroquine. Seems like that should be pointed out: There’s a non-trivial chance that this drug will cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias in a non-trivial subset of patients. (IANAD, but I welcome further comment from them.) > > So when a Very Stable Genius asks “What do you have to lose,” the answer might be “my very life.” Dr. Wallace might assuage your fear, and a lot of other fears people have expressed on this message board in regards to Hydroxychloroquine: His interview starts around 2:30, but the lead up is also very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/59 "2020-04-10T00:26:43Z")
There is a new organization that is collecting data from patients with rheumatology disorders -such as lupus- that have also been diagnosed with COVID-19. The data they are collecting includes medication information. So far they have collected data on 146 COVID-19 patients. 36 of these patients, approximately 25%, were on Hydroxychloroquine when they became infected. > And the only thing I have fears about is a bunch of gullible people running around thinking they are immune. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247/60 "2020-04-10T02:19:56Z")
The [International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy](https://www.isac.world/news-and-publications/official-isac-statement) just issued the following statement about that ridiculous French report that Jim Peebles cited in post #17: > [@](#): > > Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial (Gautret P et al. PMID 32205204) > > ISAC shares the concerns regarding the above article published recently in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (IJAA). The ISAC Board believes the article does not meet the Society’s expected standard, especially relating to the lack of better explanations of the inclusion criteria and the triage of patients to ensure patient safety. > > Despite some suggestions online as to the reliability of the article’s peer review process, the process did adhere to the industry’s peer review rules. Given his role as Editor in Chief of this journal, Jean-Marc Rolain had no involvement in the peer review of the manuscript and has no access to information regarding its peer review. Full responsibility for the manuscript’s peer review process was delegated to an Associate Editor. > > Although ISAC recognises it is important to help the scientific community by publishing new data fast, this cannot be at the cost of reducing scientific scrutiny and best practices. Both Editors in Chief of our journals (IJAA and Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance) are in full agreement. When a major international body retracts a study, the world needs to listen. I assume that proper studies are being conducted. This drug, possibly in combination with other drugs, may have some value. Nevertheless, junk science is junk science no matter who advocates for it. Let’s hope that we stop listening to people who don’t understand this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legality-of-nevada-malaria-treatment-ban/850247.md?page=4)