Jul 29, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Former FDA head Scott Gottlieb: "We can definitively say hydroxychloroquine doesn't work"

Ursula Perano

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who served under President Trump, told MSNBC on Wednesday that hydroxychloroquine "definitively" does not work as a coronavirus treatment.

Why it matters: Trump took the drug in May as a preventative measure against the virus and has prompted controversy by continuing to tout its efficacy despite the FDA ending its emergency use authorization.

Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., garnered more controversy this week after retweeting a viral video falsely claiming that hydroxychloroquine is a "cure" for the virus. That caused Twitter to temporarily bar Trump Jr. from tweeting or retweeting.

What he's saying: "We all hoped it was going to work. ... All of the studies that were rigorously done have pointed in the same direction, which is that the drug doesn't work," Gottlieb said.

"I think at this point, we can definitively say hydroxychloroquine doesn't work. I'm not sure what more we need to do."
"I think it's incumbent of the public health officials around the president to make sure he's fully informed of that information. ... There is a lot of data right now available that I think could inform a very convincing briefing."

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Former FDA head Scott Gottlieb: "We can definitively say hydroxychloroquine doesn't work"

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