The one citation was an uncontrolled, open label study on 30 patients. It's interesting and 4-5 actual controlled clinical trials are now being conducted, which will yield far more reliable information.
While both drugs have successful histories treating the infections they are approved for, they have no hard evidence, yet, that they will help in this illness.While it is true that having already been through the approval process they can be used for an "off label" use in a situation like this, speeding things up in getting it into patients, but only you really want to do if they are shown to work. As to the safety profile, both do have an assortment of side effects like all drugs do, but both can cause problems in the conduction of the electrical rhythm of heart muscle, causing significant heart rhythm disturbances, which if not recognized are potentially fatal. Using plaquenil with zithromax would increase that risk, as they both act to cause the same potential heartbeat irregularity. It would be great if they were of some value, but we don't know yet.
There are ongoing trials of a medication, remdesivir, which was developed especially against other viral illnesses (Ebola and Marburg were the first viruses it was developed for, but coronavirus does share a similar genetic makeup, making it possible it will be effective here as well). There are 2 Phase III double blind clinical studies being rushed through right now to see how that pans out. It is also beginning to be made available on a compassionate use basis until those studies are completed as soon as possible.
I received a notice from one of my local hospitals, that they are participating in the Remdesivir trials. It’s University Hospital out of Cleveland, Ohio. Do I want Remdesiver or the malaria treatment if/when I come down with Coronavirus? (I have been fighting cold symptoms the last few days. No fever though).
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