# Unfortunately, I think the media is setting up Trump for a big win on Hydroxychloroquine. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 6, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190 "2020-04-06T15:21:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/61 "2020-04-06T21:19:18Z")
[Novartis, a drug company that manufactures hydroxychloroquine, paid Michael Cohen $1.2m for “health care consulting”](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/09/novartis-paid-trumps-lawyer-michael-cohen-more-than-1-million-for-work-he-was-unable-to-do-company-says.html) shortly after Trump was inaugurated. What a mystery. We may never get to the bottom of why the huckster in chief is touting this drug. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/62 "2020-04-06T21:23:16Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > If you do not trust our leaders, that’s because you know who you chose to vote for. Well, I don’t trust our leaders, at least at the federal level, and that’s primarily because of who other people chose to vote for. But that’s neither here nor there. I do live in a democracy, though not in a direct democracy, and my decisions on who to vote for are based on my understanding of facts. If I thought, for example, that tax cuts on the rich paid for themselves in economic growth, I might vote differently. But I don’t believe that, because despite not being an economist, I am literate and can understand economic ideas and data to a sufficient depth to make voting decisions based on them. I can also make decisions about who I think is most competent to the lead the nation in a pandemic emergency, given appropriate factual data. I could not do so - nor could anyone else - in the absence of such data. Which is not to say that some folks in my democracy vote without understanding facts or doing critical thinking, but I choose not to operate that way. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/63 "2020-04-06T21:35:20Z")
Zithromax has 3 potential ways it could help. It reduces bacterial infection in patients susceptible to this, it has anti-inflammatory action, and it acts on the ribosomal RNA viruses use to produce proteins (though how much this helps in coronavirus is unclear, maybe not too much). There is some risk of increasing resistance. However, in isolated patients the risk of mutated viruses spreading may be less. I hope they reserve this moonshot for sicker patients. Is it wise? Given over 60% of all antibiotics are given to animals (for food production), which is terribly dangerous for developing resistance; given a huge percentage of antibiotics are given for usually viral conditions like sinusitis, given a propensity to use antibiotics which are too strong rather than the weakest effective one… frankly, I think it’s a drop in the bucket. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/64 "2020-04-06T21:37:58Z")
Not too surprised by this , from twitter Ohio lawmaker @RepGalonski says she is making a criminal referral today to the International Criminal Court for Trump to be charged with crimes against humanity over his hydroxychloroquine promotion. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/65 "2020-04-06T21:55:44Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > crimes against humanity Is this one of those new party pack games? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/66 "2020-04-06T22:09:45Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > [Novartis, a drug company that manufactures hydroxychloroquine, paid Michael Cohen $1.2m for “health care consulting”](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/09/novartis-paid-trumps-lawyer-michael-cohen-more-than-1-million-for-work-he-was-unable-to-do-company-says.html) shortly after Trump was inaugurated. > > What a mystery. We may never get to the bottom of why the huckster in chief is touting this drug. Even more worrisome is that Ghouliani is touting it as well. If that fucking know-nothing troll is pimping for it, I know to stay miles away from it. I’m betting he has an investment stake in it. ---
**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 6, 2020, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/67 "2020-04-06T22:44:27Z")
“A Democratic state representative from Detroit is crediting hydroxychloroquine — and Republican President Donald Trump who touted the drug — for saving her in her battle with the coronavirus.” > **[Detroit rep says hydroxychloroquine, Trump helped save her life amid COVID-19...](https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2020/04/06/democrat-karen-whitsett-coronavirus-hydroxychloroquine-trump/2955430001/)** > > Rep. Karen Whitsett, D-Detroit, said she does not believe she would have been given the drug if President Trump had not touted it. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2020, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/68 "2020-04-06T23:01:45Z")
> [@Jim\_Peebles](#): > > “A Democratic state representative from Detroit is crediting hydroxychloroquine — and Republican President Donald Trump who touted the drug — for saving her in her battle with the coronavirus.” > > [Dem rep credits hydroxychloroquine — and Trump — in coronavirus fight](https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2020/04/06/democrat-karen-whitsett-coronavirus-hydroxychloroquine-trump/2955430001/) > **[The Placebo Effect in Fighting Colds and Flu - Robbins Headache Clinic](https://robbinsheadacheclinic.com/the-placebo-effect-in-fighting-colds-and-flu/)** > > The concept of placebos goes back centuries. During the late 1700’s the word placebo was referred to as an inert substance falsely presented as a real drug in order to improve a person’s health. Fast-forward to 2010, a Harvard Medical School study... > **[Placebo Effects and the Common Cold: A Randomized Controlled Trial](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3133578/)** > > PURPOSE We wanted to determine whether the severity and duration of illness caused by the common cold are influenced by randomized assignment to open-label pills, compared with conventional double-blind allocation to active and placebo pills,... Believe does not equal reality. It can be helpful through some rather convoluted means but you may as well just use sugar. It’s cheaper and gives some calories. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/69 "2020-04-07T02:05:43Z")
AFAIK, Trump has never said that this thing was a cure. He has never said that it is scientifically helpful. He said that he was “hopeful” after hearing anecdotal evidence, and Dr. Fauci agreed that there was anecdotal evidence that it was helpful, but scientifically, that is not enough and it need trials. Trump never said for people to run out and take it or ask their doctors to prescribe it. I fear this is another symptom of Trump derangement syndrome. If Trump said that there was no medicine out there that might be able to help, I fear that some of his same critics would say that he was being too doom and gloom in this time of panic and should reassure Americans that there are some medicines that have shown anecdotal evidence to be helpful and to stay positive. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/70 "2020-04-07T02:19:01Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > AFAIK, Trump has never said that this thing was a cure. He has never said that it is scientifically helpful. He said that he was “hopeful” after hearing anecdotal evidence, and Dr. Fauci agreed that there was anecdotal evidence that it was helpful, but scientifically, that is not enough and it need trials. Trump never said for people to run out and take it or ask their doctors to prescribe it. > > I fear this is another symptom of Trump derangement syndrome. If Trump said that there was no medicine out there that might be able to help, I fear that some of his same critics would say that he was being too doom and gloom in this time of panic and should reassure Americans that there are some medicines that have shown anecdotal evidence to be helpful and to stay positive. He said, “What do you have to lose?” Well, what you have to lose, potentially, is your life. Some of the documented (rare, but known and documented) side effects of hydroxychloroquine are fatal, but he hasn’t mentioned that little detail. In fact, he explicitly stated, “But the nice part is, it’s been around for a long time, so we know that if it — if things don’t go as planned, it’s not going to kill anybody.” ([cite](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-vice-president-pence-members-coronavirus-task-force-press-briefing-6/), although he has said substantially the same thing on other occasions.) This is false, wrong, incorrect, and a lie: if things go wrong, it CAN KILL YOU. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/71 "2020-04-07T02:19:58Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > AFAIK, Trump has never said that this thing was a cure. He has never said that it is scientifically helpful. He said that he was “hopeful” after hearing anecdotal evidence, and Dr. Fauci agreed that there was anecdotal evidence that it was helpful, but scientifically, that is not enough and it need trials. Trump never said for people to run out and take it or ask their doctors to prescribe it. > > I fear this is another symptom of Trump derangement syndrome. If Trump said that there was no medicine out there that might be able to help, I fear that some of his same critics would say that he was being too doom and gloom in this time of panic and should reassure Americans that there are some medicines that have shown anecdotal evidence to be helpful and to stay positive. [Trump keeps touting a decades-old malaria pill as a coronavirus ‘game changer’, undercutting his top infectious-disease expert](https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-undercuts-fauci-on-whether-chloroquine-can-treat-coronavirus-2020-3) > [@](#): > > “HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine,” Trump said in a series of tweets on Saturday. “Hopefully they will BOTH be put in use IMMEDIATELY. PEOPLE ARE DYING, MOVE FAST,” he continued. > > At a briefing on Thursday,\*\* Trump said chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the coronavirus.\*\* But shortly after, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn contradicted Trump, saying that the FDA would need to determine that in a clinical trial. The drug has not been approved for COVID-19 patients. What the _fuck_ do you think he was trying to imply? Anyone who isn’t educated in playing word games will think he’s saying it’s a cure. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/72 "2020-04-07T02:28:18Z")
It’s a good thing then that Donald Trump is not writing my prescriptions. If I cannot trust my doctor not to prescribe something for me that’s going to kill me then I have bigger problems. It is a politician putting a positive spin on something. He said “a real chance” not run out and take it illegally or beg your doctor to give it to you. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/73 "2020-04-07T02:32:11Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > It’s a good thing then that Donald Trump is not writing my prescriptions. If I cannot trust my doctor not to prescribe something for me that’s going to kill me then I have bigger problems. It is a politician putting a positive spin on something. > > He said “a real chance” not run out and take it illegally or beg your doctor to give it to you. You don’t read quotes, do you? He said it was approved by the FDA as a treatment. As far as the average layman is concerned, that’s the same thing and you damn well know it. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/74 "2020-04-07T02:41:59Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I’m not so sure about that. Short of actually being one of those dead, I think Trump’s base will tune out even the deaths of their neighbors and family.☹ I think we can all agree that, what, 28% of Trump voters will support him if he runs around naked and shits on the White House lawn. But maybe the “persuadables” might get it. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/75 "2020-04-07T02:54:22Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > You don’t read quotes, do you? He said it was approved by the FDA as a treatment. As far as the average layman is concerned, that’s the same thing and you damn well know it. Clearly he screwed up big time on that one and there is no getting around it. But even saying that the FDA approved it does not mean anything. Oxycodone is FDA approved for pain, but that doesn’t mean that because of these middle aged aches and pains that I have I can demand a doctor prescribe it for me. My doctor uses his professional judgment in what to prescribe for my condition. No doctor, AFAIK, says that the President said it was okay and hands me a bowl full of pills. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/76 "2020-04-07T03:02:06Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I’m just kind of bummed that I think ultimately Trump is gonna look like he alone led the fight against the evil Dems in getting the panacea into the hands of the people. It just saddens me that people are more worried about scoring political points than about saving lives. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/77 "2020-04-07T03:23:15Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > A good con artist can put a spin on everything and anything to pretend the outcome is in his favor. A really good con artist can fool most of the people most of the time. These are both attributes Trump has shown he has in abundance. For his base (the conned), he will always look good, and come out of this smelling like a rose. For rational thinkers, not so much. I spoke to my parents earlier this evening. (They’re doing OK, so far.) My dad said he had just finished watching Hannity interview Dr. Oz, “and he thinks this is a great thing.” So, in other words, it probably isn’t. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/78 "2020-04-07T04:23:37Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > It just saddens me that people are more worried about scoring political points than about saving lives. ☹ In the president’s case, it seems more about getting the stock market back in shape before the election. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/79 "2020-04-07T05:26:15Z")
If corona disappears entirely on Easter, and Il Douche is credited for it, I will seriously re-examine my disdain for Satanism ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2020, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190/80 "2020-04-07T06:36:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > If corona disappears entirely on Easter, and Il Douche is credited for it, I will seriously re-examine my disdain for Satanism Worry not. _Cerveza Corona_ may be out of production but pentagrams probably won’t see increased demand… unless eye of newt is an effective treatment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unfortunately-i-think-the-media-is-setting-up-trump-for-a-big-win-on-hydroxychloroquine/851190.md?page=5)