Using non FDA approved untested dangerous combinations of medications
The hospital I work at has adopted the Plaquenil/Azithromycin protocol which means the 14 hospital Franciscan system is using it. I do not administer medications because I am a rounding nurse. Im really thankful that I do not have to participate in this. I have read the study results and there are serious flaws reported in the limited studies that have been done. Its fact that both drugs prolong the QT wave. Ethically, it is wrong for President Trump to tout these drugs as miracle cures when there is documentation that the drug manufacturer paid his lawyer 100K for access to him. Dr Fouci has spoken against using this drug combo as a treatment. This reminds me to much of the Tuskegee study. I recognize that fear of the virus is overwhelming rational thought and trust in evidence based protocols.
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I had heated debates with former coworker about this trial. I felt the fact that this particular med being so heavily touted, after I believe 3 small, studies that we could have all accessed, 2 months ago after they were all deemed invalid, was one issue. There was a study from China noting this med, it was well established early in the crisis that China had be less than helpful in their cooperation to solve this global threat. Yet some who endorsed this med, insisted there was evidence. France released the 2nd study, based on a trial conducted with a med they heard had worked in China, this study did not produce findings that were of use. The 3rd study was released by China, after the French trial, however the date of the study’s completion, on paper was prior to France’s study, despite the results actually being shared clearly after France. This makes that study from China the 3rd, or 2nd study showing no correlation with this med and this virus. The US’s policy and interest in this med are thought to have been inspired by stories and chatter on the internet, not from any type of evidence. The US govt quickly held the majority of this medication, and it was unavailable outside of its of intended use, or if used in an FDA approved clinical trial, which happened at select facilities, and monitored. Brazil conducted similar trials but abruptly ended their’s 2 weeks before ours were finalized. We completed our trials through their initial duration I believe. Brazil halted theirs due to the very clear and severe risks. Therefore this med came to be associated with the virus based on nothing. We could have used Skittles and had less harmful results at a minimum.
Hi Amy, Smart of you to bring in health care history to point out that though we like to think that all health care decisions are driven by good intentions, there is a history of racism (Tuskegee) or opportunism/greed (drugs for covid) that cannot be denied. It must be hard for you to see these drugs being used when you have such strong safety concerns about them.
Hi Amy:
Thanks for joining our conversation and sharing your experience. What lessons do you hope we're learning from this crisis that will help us do better when/if something similar happens in the future?