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Has the FDA Approved a COVID-19 Treatment?

Summary:
Before I note perhaps the most irresponsible comment from Donald Trump today, let me note I strongly support research into finding an effective treatment. Pardon me for saying the obvious as certain Trump cheerleaders are not accusing people like me as wanting massive deaths just to make their fearless “leader” look bad. Of course, these Trump sycophants have a long history of being utterly disgusting so let’s move on by noting a great post from Robert Waldmann: I think that it is important to get the FDA out of the way (by executive order if necessary) ... I think there should be mass production and use of Remdesivir starting on the 5th of March Robert notes that I have been following Gilead Sciences phase III trials of this potential treatment as well as their stock price, which can

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Before I note perhaps the most irresponsible comment from Donald Trump today, let me note I strongly support research into finding an effective treatment. Pardon me for saying the obvious as certain Trump cheerleaders are not accusing people like me as wanting massive deaths just to make their fearless “leader” look bad. Of course, these Trump sycophants have a long history of being utterly disgusting so let’s move on by noting a great post from Robert Waldmann:
I think that it is important to get the FDA out of the way (by executive order if necessary) ... I think there should be mass production and use of Remdesivir starting on the 5th of March
Robert notes that I have been following Gilead Sciences phase III trials of this potential treatment as well as their stock price, which can be seen as an indicator of the market’s view on the probability of eventual success. Its stock has been up somewhat of late but they note they are not quite there yet. Under Menzie Chinn’s place, I also provided this link:
French manufacturer Sanofi has said it could hypothetically offer enough doses of Plaquenil – a drug containing the molecule hydroxychloroquine – to treat up to 300,000 people if necessary. Chloroquine is normally used mainly to prevent and treat malaria, and also to treat auto-immune conditions such as Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. In China, ongoing Covid-19 clinical trials have successfully used chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus patients. In France, renowned research professor Didier Raoult – who had been tasked by the French government to research possible treatments of Covid-19 – this week posted a video detailing “promising” results of a chloroquine trial of 24 Covid-19 patients in France. Professor Raoult – from infectious diseases institute l’Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) – said that the infected patients he had treated with the drug chloroquine (under the name Plaquenil) had seen a rapid and effective speeding up of their healing process. They also saw a sharp decrease in the amount of time they remained contagious, he said. Yesterday (Tuesday March 17), government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye said that similar clinical trials would now be extended to more patients, but said that there is currently no definite “scientific proof” that the treatment works. She said: “[New trials] will be completed by a team independent of Professor Raoult.” Some experts have warned of the dangers of authorising the use of chloroquine too quickly, in the absence of wider studies, and said that the side effects of chloroquine can be severe, especially in the case of overdose.
The last sentence is key in seeing why what Trump said today was beyond irresponsible:
President Trump confirmed Thursday morning the FDA’s rapid approval of a drug called ‘Chloroquine’ to be prescribed to help treat patients suffering from the Coronavirus.
Of course, the FDA has corrected this lie by noting that they have approved further clinical trials. But this important distinction is lost on people who listen to Sean Hannity as well as all those other Trump cheerleaders. Update: A report on the stock price movements yesterday for Gilead Sciences:
On the stock market today, GILD stock surged as much as 8.2% on Trump's statement during a press conference that its experimental coronavirus treatment is "essentially approved." But shares didn't hold after Hahn cautioned the testing process is far from complete. It's possible to have the "right drug" but the "wrong dose," Hahn said during the briefing at the White House. "That can cause more harm than good." Shares of GILD ended the day down 1.1% at 78.55.
The investors who paid $81 a share earlier yesterday should sue Donald Trump for his misleading statements.

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