Coronavirus
Media Organizations Who Initially Mocked Trump for Promoting Hydroxychloroquine Now Acknowledge Drug to Be Useful
On March 19th, President Trump suggested that hydroxychloroquine could be an effective treatment for coronavirus. Media organizations mocked the president for that statement. They have now started acknowledging that the drug might actually be useful, however. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug for emergency use to treat the coronavirus.
Top Democrats and journalists have also “changed tune” after claiming that the travel ban on China was xenophobic and ineffective.
The New York Times released a piece titled “Malaria Drug Helps Virus Patients Improve, in Small Study,” on April 1st. The piece examined a study where “A group of moderately ill people” who had the drug as treatment. The report further mentioned that the drug seems to ease the patients' symptoms but also acknowledges the need for more research.
“Cough, fever and pneumonia went away faster, and the disease seemed less likely to turn severe in people who received hydroxychloroquine than in a comparison group not given the drug,” wrote The New York Times.
“The authors of the report said that the medication was promising, but that more research was needed to clarify how it might work in treating coronavirus disease and to determine the best way to use it,” it further added.
Initial Reactions
After mocking President Trump for promoting Hydroxychloroquine, journalists acknowledge it might treat Coronavirus https://t.co/Lm67GCOUX4
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 3, 2020
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer once threatened doctors with “administrative action” if they prescribed the drug. Now, the governor requests that the federal government ship her state some, according to Fox News.
“Trump is giving people false hope of coronavirus cures. It’s all snake oil,” said one headline from Washington Post. “The most promising answer to the pandemic will be a vaccine, and researchers are racing to develop one,” it wrote.
The USA Today editorial board wrote a similarly mocking statement. In their pice, USA Today wrote: “Coronavirus treatment: Dr. Donald Trump peddles snake oil and false hope.”
“There are no approved therapies or drugs to treat COVID-19 yet, but the president hypes preliminary chloroquine trials at White House briefing and unproven remedies on Twitter,” the paper wrote – days before the FDA would approve of the drug.
Other media organizations such as NBC mocked the president as well. “Trump, promoting unproven drug treatments, insults NBC reporter at coronavirus briefing,” NBC once reported.
Fox News clarifies that the FDA “has approved the drug on an emergency basis,” despite media reports mocking this suggestion previously.
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