During a heated exchange with Trump Campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh this week, CNN Anchor Brianna Keiler claimed hydroxychloroquine, a decades old malaria drug, "kills people." The comments were cut off in the online version of the interview, but aired live.
Her claim comes after an important study, which CNN reported on, from the Henry Ford Health System. It shows hydroxychloroquine is an effective drug against Wuhan coronavirus -- especially if administered to patients early.
“A surprising new study found the controversial antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine helped patients better survive in the hospital,” CNN reports. “A team at Henry Ford Health System in southeast Michigan said Thursday their study of 2,541 hospitalized patients found that those given hydroxychloroquine were much less likely to die. Dr. Marcus Zervos, division head of infectious disease for Henry Ford Health System, said 26% of those not given hydroxychloroquine died, compared to 13% of those who got the drug.” The team reviewed everyone treated in the hospital system since March."
There is nothing "surprising" about the results of the study or "controversial" about the drug.
Last night during an interview on Fox News, Yale Epidemiology Professor and Doctor Harvey Risch blasted Keiler for the comments, calling them ludicrous.
"This is a drug that’s been used for 65-plus years in billons of doses around the world that people take without even thinking about it. And suddenly it’s become dangerous? That’s ludicrous,” he said.
A number of surveys have found doctors would would prescribe the drug to a family member or patient suffering from the disease.