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Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#51
post #37
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The outcomes of some current clinical trials of chloroquine in China have been announced, without access to the data. This seems to be the link to the details of clinical trials in China that are made available http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchproj.aspx?title=氯喹&officialna...

I checked the most recent result from that search: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=50843 At the very bottom, it says "original data will be published on web-based public database in 6 months after the research" which is a bit disappointing.

Can anyone mention a reasonable explanation for the 6-month delay? All I can think is that they want to prevent irresponsible purchases thus only including it in treatment guidelines for now.

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#52
post #50
post #18

> • The outcomes of some current clinical trials of chloroquine in China have been announced, without access to the data. Shameless tangent, China has just booted its most competent respiratory disease epidemiologist from heading epidemic control committee for not backing Xi Jinping's "herbal remedies" https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3895540

why does a search lead me to an article with the exact opposite story? http://www.china.org.cn/china/2020-02/19/content_75720773.ht...

Taiwan isn’t Mainland China. The first source is from Taiwan, the 2nd from China.

It’s up to you to choose which news source to believe, knowing that the former can print anything (including wild speculation) and the later will only print government approved information (including blatant obvious propaganda).

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#53
post #50
post #18

> • The outcomes of some current clinical trials of chloroquine in China have been announced, without access to the data. Shameless tangent, China has just booted its most competent respiratory disease epidemiologist from heading epidemic control committee for not backing Xi Jinping's "herbal remedies" https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3895540

why does a search lead me to an article with the exact opposite story? http://www.china.org.cn/china/2020-02/19/content_75720773.ht...

It's quite tortuously contorted. He said he was proposing to launch proper clinical trials for "herbal remedies," dodging a request to give his blessing.

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#54
post #53
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why does a search lead me to an article with the exact opposite story? http://www.china.org.cn/china/2020-02/19/content_75720773.ht...

It's quite tortuously contorted. He said he was proposing to launch proper clinical trials for "herbal remedies," dodging a request to give his blessing.

So the real story is he proposed doing scientifically valid testing, which could easily disprove their efficacy - and that somehow turned into "the experiments give some hope for the treatment of the novel coronavirus" ... due to a bad English translation?

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#55

Honestly this is a perfect example of a time when laws are excessively restrictive. I should have the right to purchase this drug and use it as a last resort in the case that I or my family are infected. It's not fair to responsible people who are capable of researching safety and dosages to have to pay for the ignorance of others. Especially when this drug is OTC in most of the world. You don't need a medical degree…

What if the drug causes humans to die two weeks after taking it?

Chloroquine is available without prescription in many West African counties, and is used liberally anytime a child has a fever.

At this point, I would label it as dangerous as aspirin.

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#57
post #54
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's quite tortuously contorted. He said he was proposing to launch proper clinical trials for "herbal remedies," dodging a request to give his blessing.

So the real story is he proposed doing scientifically valid testing, which could easily disprove their efficacy - and that somehow turned into "the experiments give some hope for the treatment of the novel coronavirus" ... due to a bad English translation?

No, the story is that he wants yes-men on the panel that assesses their efficacy, not independent scientists.

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#58
post #57
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the real story is he proposed doing scientifically valid testing, which could easily disprove their efficacy - and that somehow turned into "the experiments give some hope for the treatment of the novel coronavirus" ... due to a bad English translation?

No, the story is that he wants yes-men on the panel that assesses their efficacy, not independent scientists.

Sorry - I am having trouble following this. You're saying Xi Jinping wanted yes-men in order to push the herbal remedies, and Zhong Nanshan wanted real science?

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#59
post #54
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's quite tortuously contorted. He said he was proposing to launch proper clinical trials for "herbal remedies," dodging a request to give his blessing.

So the real story is he proposed doing scientifically valid testing, which could easily disprove their efficacy - and that somehow turned into "the experiments give some hope for the treatment of the novel coronavirus" ... due to a bad English translation?

> ... due to a bad English translation?

Not simply bad, but like a 180⁰ of the original meaning.

Well, there is rich context to this. Chinese mainland media has been for weeks escalating the "herbal remedies" craze, and Xi somehow managed to insert himself even there.

Now the media (propaganda ministry) can't back off, because Xi will look like an idiot if they are to back off and acknowledge how foolish it is.

For Zhong, a man with a known anti-quackery sentiment, not speaking in single voice with CPC's herbal remedy peddlers, was enough to be seen as somebody not standing in line.

Re: Chloroquine phosphate has shown apparent efficacy in treating Covid-19

#60
This seems pretty inconclusive to me; as noted by other posters, we have no data from some of the trials in China and peer review of the potential patient benefits hasn't materialised yet. Not trying to be a downer, but..

As an aside, the number of preppers and conspiracy theorists out on HN under stories like this is awful.

Remember, the world has vast infrastructures (CDC, WHO, NHS and equivalents) for working out the right course of action in these situations. They are staffed by professionals who understand how medicine and medical trials work, and how and when to deploy public health measures. I'm not saying their word is law, but hanging out on internet forums and then panic buying random stuff which isn't obviously efficacious off the back of a misunderstanding of the science is not personally or socially productive. At worst, it harms people in genuine need and stymies the ability of society to respond.

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