White House Coronavirus testing czar Brett Giroir is urging the United States to stop dwelling so much on hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug touted by the president, and focus on more effective treatments.
The host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” Chuck Todd asked Giroir if he is concerned the “mixed messaging” surrounding hydroxychloroquine is going to create a “fog” about treatments and if it will lead to the misuse of the drug.
“The evidence just doesn’t show hydroxychloroquine is effective right now. I think we need to move on from that and talk about what is effective,” Giroir said.
He added, “We have effective therapies like Remdesivir and steroids, promising therapies like immune plasma and a vaccine really on the horizon.”
Watch his comments below:
WATCH: Trump's coronavirus testing czar @HHS_ASH says America needs to "move on" from debating hydroxychloroquine. #MTP
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) August 2, 2020
"The evidence just doesn't show hydroxychloroquine is effective, for now." pic.twitter.com/g8OpLqajDd
Giroir noted hydroxychloroquine needs to be prescribed by a physician and most physicians and prescribers are evidence-based, they are not influenced by “whatever’s on Twitter.”
He recognized masks, hand washing, and avoiding indoor spaces and crowds as ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Giroir claimed the chances of dying from the coronavirus are “incredibly” less than they were in April.
He is not the first one to indicate hydroxychloroquine is not effective against the coronavirus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci — the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases —cited clinical trials as evidence proving the drug is not an effective treatment, as IJR previously reported.
The Trump administration announced Friday the United States will receive a supply of 100 million doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine from two major drug companies, as IJR previously reported.
In July, the United States recorded 1.87 million new cases. The total number of cases reached 4.5 million.
As of Sunday evening, there are more than 4.6 million coronavirus infections and nearly 155,000 deaths. Health officials are growing more concerned as the pandemic appears to be spreading to the Midwest.
