Yes. C'mon, tech, unignore me and answer this one for me without redirecting me down some rabbit hole. Is it really all a conspiracy to make more money for the drug companies?Kbg wrote: ↑Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:32 am This is my favorite COVID conspiracy line...the cheap stuff works but we are going to pay billions for the new expensive cure. Who is going to pay that billions (and has paid hundreds of millions) and who is in charge?
There is a small really conceited part of me that wonders can people really not follow through on the logic and inherent contradictions in what they are saying? Apparently not.
I spent some time looking into all of this last week and I came a way really mixed and must say I can’t form an opinion. The info is just too mixed. The cocktail seems to have some pretty compelling anecdotal evidence and does not appear to have had any good testing. The one thing I did learn was it appears to work only at a certain phase and must be done early or it doesn’t work.
Meanwhile, it seems the UK did some pretty extensive studies and nothing suggested the stuff does much good.
What I don’t get, why doesn’t Trump order some studies if the stuff is so great? Perhaps he fears the answer? I would think we would want to put this one to bed...nah, conspiracy is much more useful politically.
To me (sorry TDS here) this goes back to Trump's leadership.
If I were president, and it came across my desk that HCQ was possibly useful as a treatment, I'd call in Fauci and Birx and ask them to get some double blind trials started on this, on the government's dime. I am the president, people will do this, without a doubt.
Then, I could have real data, conclusive or not, that I could present to the American people on why HCQ works (or doesn't).
Instead, there's the occasional mention, the I've been taking it for two weeks remark, and the retweeting of the doctor group touting it as a cure.
This is not the stuff of leadership. This is the stuff of Facebook level reposts of shit he's heard about and decides to retweet with little or no follow through.
If Trump wanted to push this, to get to some real study results, he could do so. But he doesn't. Again, I don't get it. Is it simply a lack of ability to focus?
Finally, there are reports of heart damage around HCQ. I still don't understand that either. How about one press conference with the doctors and Trump. Back and forth on HCQ.
Trump: I hear there's some potential for heart damage in patients taking HCQ. Is that true?
Doctor: Answers in some fashion.
Trump: But if there is some potential, are you telling me that the same potential has existed for the last 50 years for the millions who have taken this for malaria?
Doctor: It is because, X, Y, Z
Trump: Ok, thank you. Then it's settled that HCQ (does/does not) pose a risk but that risk is (small/large) compared to the possible benefits.
Yes, just put it to bed or enable more testing on it. But he remains in some nether region on HCQ.
It has to be incredibly frustrating to so many, from both directions.