4 ms·
I am tremendously torn by this: a. We have multiple indications that this is an adjunct therapy that can help b. Humans are exceptionally easy to fool, and we
by theologic 7y ago
I am tremendously torn by this:
a. We have multiple indications that this is an adjunct therapy that can help
b. Humans are exceptionally easy to fool, and we know that placebos are incredibly effective because they trick our brain into creating chemicals.
The placebo is so strong that we design double blind studies because we can't even trust the person giving the experiment.
However, if it does help, it will be extremely encouraging. The critical thing is to get a double blind study with sufficient n to immediately make a choice. This is where having more resources do help because the safety of the drug, normally a massive bottleneck, is well understood.
- avip 7y agoYou're missing the point that patients receiving this treatment are considered in a terminal condition and are likely on life-support (that is the only situation you could give an unapproved drug to a patient).
- sgt101 7y agoIs it unapproved? I thought it was in widespread use as an anti-malarial (for 70 + years)?
- 77pt77 7y agoIt is widespread but this usage is off label.
- DennisP 7y agoThis is not an unapproved drug, just an off-label use. From wikipedia: > Chloroquine was discovered in 1934 by Hans Andersag.[3][4] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.[5]
- cm2187 7y agoWhere did you see that this is for terminal conditions? Raoult suggested even patients with mild symptoms be treated with those molecules to reduce the contagion.
- lisper 7y agoIf a placebo is actually effective against covid-19, what difference does it make that it's a placebo? It's still good news.
- stevespang 7y agoLook, the Gov't is giving us nothing at the moment. Gilead's remdesivir would likely cost a fortune, and it's not being widely distributed at all in the US for coronavirus. There is very little risk of side effects in taking chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. If it works - - great. I have 3 or 4 studies that go back many years showing chloroquine has wide ranging antiviral properties. >10 Chinese scientists just days ago published their recommendations for chloroquine in Nature Communications. Several Korean scientists followed. If it doesn't work, what have you lost if the Gov't and our ivory towers of medicine have nothing else to offer us in drugs meanwhile ?
- tim333 7y agoIf you asked the patients if the felt better it could be placebo effect but I don't think any placebos drop measured viral load like that.