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President calls negative hydroxychloroquine study 'a Trump enemy statement' – as it happened President calls negative hydroxychloroquine study 'a Trump enemy statement' – as it happened
(about 13 hours later)
President claimed to be taking anti-malarial drug despite FDA warnings, while Mike Pence said in a Fox News interview that he is not taking itPresident claimed to be taking anti-malarial drug despite FDA warnings, while Mike Pence said in a Fox News interview that he is not taking it
Live reporting on the coronavirus in the US continues on Wednesday’s blog:
Donald Trump signed an executive order encouraging agencies to rollback regulations. “Agencies must continue to remove barriers to the greatest engine of economic prosperity the world has ever known: the innovation, initiative, and drive of the American people,” the order states.Donald Trump signed an executive order encouraging agencies to rollback regulations. “Agencies must continue to remove barriers to the greatest engine of economic prosperity the world has ever known: the innovation, initiative, and drive of the American people,” the order states.
The Senate confirmed a Trump appointee to the Federal Elections Committee, giving the agency the four votes needed to regulate federal election campaign finance laws. Trey Trainor, the conservative Texas lawyer who as confirmed to the seat has pushed for less regulation of money in politics.The Senate confirmed a Trump appointee to the Federal Elections Committee, giving the agency the four votes needed to regulate federal election campaign finance laws. Trey Trainor, the conservative Texas lawyer who as confirmed to the seat has pushed for less regulation of money in politics.
Member states backed the WHO after another attack from Trump, calling for a global show of support. A resolution that backed the WHO’s leadership and said there would be an investigation into the global response to the pandemic, but did not endorse a major overhaul, as Trump requested.Member states backed the WHO after another attack from Trump, calling for a global show of support. A resolution that backed the WHO’s leadership and said there would be an investigation into the global response to the pandemic, but did not endorse a major overhaul, as Trump requested.
The president criticized a negative hydroxychloroquine study as a “Trump enemy statement”. A preliminary study of coronavirus patients at US veterans health administration medical centers found that showed those treated with the anti-malaria drug, which Trump has repeatedly promoted, had a higher risk of death.The president criticized a negative hydroxychloroquine study as a “Trump enemy statement”. A preliminary study of coronavirus patients at US veterans health administration medical centers found that showed those treated with the anti-malaria drug, which Trump has repeatedly promoted, had a higher risk of death.
The US vice-president, Mike Pence, said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine. Pence’s admission came one day after Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug in recent days, despite the Food and Drug Administration’s guidance that it should only be used in hospital settings.The US vice-president, Mike Pence, said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine. Pence’s admission came one day after Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug in recent days, despite the Food and Drug Administration’s guidance that it should only be used in hospital settings.
Trump lashed out against Nancy Pelosi after the House speaker described the president as “morbidly obese”. Pelosi said she did not think Trump should be taking hydroxychloroquine, particularly considering his age and weight. “Pelosi is a sick woman,” Trump said in response. “She’s got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems.”Trump lashed out against Nancy Pelosi after the House speaker described the president as “morbidly obese”. Pelosi said she did not think Trump should be taking hydroxychloroquine, particularly considering his age and weight. “Pelosi is a sick woman,” Trump said in response. “She’s got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems.”
The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, and the Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, virtually testified before the Senate banking committee. Mnuchin warned that an extended shutdown could potentially cause “permanent damage” to the US economy, while Powell suggested Congress may need to approve additional relief funding.The treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, and the Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, virtually testified before the Senate banking committee. Mnuchin warned that an extended shutdown could potentially cause “permanent damage” to the US economy, while Powell suggested Congress may need to approve additional relief funding.
New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, issued some thinly veiled criticism of Trump. “You’re not going to tweet your way through this,” Cuomo said during his daily briefing.New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, issued some thinly veiled criticism of Trump. “You’re not going to tweet your way through this,” Cuomo said during his daily briefing.
Patrick Wintour and Julian Borger report:Patrick Wintour and Julian Borger report:
Member states have backed a resolution strongly supportive of the World Health Organization, after Donald Trump issued a fresh broadside against the UN body, giving it 30 days to make unspecified reforms or lose out on US funding.Member states have backed a resolution strongly supportive of the World Health Organization, after Donald Trump issued a fresh broadside against the UN body, giving it 30 days to make unspecified reforms or lose out on US funding.
A resolution that backed the WHO’s leadership and said there needed to be an investigation into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic won endorsement at the WHO’s annual ministerial meeting on Tuesday.A resolution that backed the WHO’s leadership and said there needed to be an investigation into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic won endorsement at the WHO’s annual ministerial meeting on Tuesday.
The US president launched his attack late on Monday, sending a lengthy letter outlining America’s belief that the WHO had not been sufficiently independent of China, and had been too willing to accept its explanations for the origins of the coronavirus outbreak.The US president launched his attack late on Monday, sending a lengthy letter outlining America’s belief that the WHO had not been sufficiently independent of China, and had been too willing to accept its explanations for the origins of the coronavirus outbreak.
As the pandemic worsens in the US, and other countries begin a tentative recovery, Trump has sought to blame China and the WHO. The letter accused the WHO of making repeated mistakes, meaning thousands of lives had been lost, and America’s interests not served.As the pandemic worsens in the US, and other countries begin a tentative recovery, Trump has sought to blame China and the WHO. The letter accused the WHO of making repeated mistakes, meaning thousands of lives had been lost, and America’s interests not served.
“If the WHO does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days, I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding to the WHO permanent and reconsider our membership,” Trump told its chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.“If the WHO does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days, I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding to the WHO permanent and reconsider our membership,” Trump told its chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
His attack was timed to coincide with the start of the two-day World Health Assembly, which on Tuesday finally backed a draft resolution that supported a WHO-established independent and impartial inquiry into the WHO’s conduct over the coronavirus.His attack was timed to coincide with the start of the two-day World Health Assembly, which on Tuesday finally backed a draft resolution that supported a WHO-established independent and impartial inquiry into the WHO’s conduct over the coronavirus.
The resolution, supported by China’s president, Xi Jinping, on Monday and largely drafted by the European Union, stops short of the kind of international inquiry focused on China’s conduct that was first canvassed by Australia and the US. The Chinese foreign ministry claimed the resolution was completely different from the politically motivated inquiry sought by Australia.The resolution, supported by China’s president, Xi Jinping, on Monday and largely drafted by the European Union, stops short of the kind of international inquiry focused on China’s conduct that was first canvassed by Australia and the US. The Chinese foreign ministry claimed the resolution was completely different from the politically motivated inquiry sought by Australia.
The Senate has confirmed Trey Trainor, a conservative Texas attorney, to the Federal Elections Committee.The Senate has confirmed Trey Trainor, a conservative Texas attorney, to the Federal Elections Committee.
Trainor, an election law attorney, has pushed for less regulation of money in politics. He advised the Republican National Committee and Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election.Trainor, an election law attorney, has pushed for less regulation of money in politics. He advised the Republican National Committee and Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election.
The confirmation ends longest period in the agency’s history without a quorum. The committee will now have the four votes needed to regulate federal campaign finance laws.The confirmation ends longest period in the agency’s history without a quorum. The committee will now have the four votes needed to regulate federal campaign finance laws.
Who is Sean Conley, the doctor gave Donald Trump hydoxychloroquine?Who is Sean Conley, the doctor gave Donald Trump hydoxychloroquine?
Conley is US navy veteran and is qualified in osteopathic medicine.Conley is US navy veteran and is qualified in osteopathic medicine.
Conley, who is from Pennsylvania, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006 and went on to undertake a medical residency at a navy base in Virginia. He was then deployed to Afghanistan, where he acted as head of a trauma unit at a Nato base.Conley, who is from Pennsylvania, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006 and went on to undertake a medical residency at a navy base in Virginia. He was then deployed to Afghanistan, where he acted as head of a trauma unit at a Nato base.
The medical unit at the White House is typically staffed by doctors drawn from the US military and Conley found himself in line to become the president’s own physician after the departure of Ronny Jackson, who had previously raised eyebrows by praising Trump’s “good genes” and for saying that if the president had had “a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old”.The medical unit at the White House is typically staffed by doctors drawn from the US military and Conley found himself in line to become the president’s own physician after the departure of Ronny Jackson, who had previously raised eyebrows by praising Trump’s “good genes” and for saying that if the president had had “a healthier diet over the last 20 years, he might live to be 200 years old”.
Jackson had also sparked a short-lived “girther” conspiracy movement after reporting Trump’s weight as 239lb, just 1lb below a threshold that would class the president as obese. Trump sleeps just four or five hours a night, doesn’t exercise outside rounds of golf and is fond of McDonald’s but is fit enough for a second term, Jackson reported in 2018.Jackson had also sparked a short-lived “girther” conspiracy movement after reporting Trump’s weight as 239lb, just 1lb below a threshold that would class the president as obese. Trump sleeps just four or five hours a night, doesn’t exercise outside rounds of golf and is fond of McDonald’s but is fit enough for a second term, Jackson reported in 2018.
Listen: The Guardian’s Julia Carrie Wong explains that before reaching Trump, the hype around hydroxychloroquine, which is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, had moved from small clinical studies through to influencers in Silicon Valley and then on to prime time shows on Fox News.Listen: The Guardian’s Julia Carrie Wong explains that before reaching Trump, the hype around hydroxychloroquine, which is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, had moved from small clinical studies through to influencers in Silicon Valley and then on to prime time shows on Fox News.
But rather than being 100% effective as has been claimed, there are serious doubts about the drug’s safety when taken to treat coronavirus.But rather than being 100% effective as has been claimed, there are serious doubts about the drug’s safety when taken to treat coronavirus.
On Monday, thousands of visitors from across the country descended on Yellowstone national park, which opened for the first time since its closure in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.On Monday, thousands of visitors from across the country descended on Yellowstone national park, which opened for the first time since its closure in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sam Gilbert reports for the Guardian:Sam Gilbert reports for the Guardian:
“We have been cooped up for weeks,” Jacob Willis told the Guardian near a crowd of onlookers at the Old Faithful Geyser. “When the parks opened, we jumped at the opportunity to travel,” said Willis, who had arrived from Florida.“We have been cooped up for weeks,” Jacob Willis told the Guardian near a crowd of onlookers at the Old Faithful Geyser. “When the parks opened, we jumped at the opportunity to travel,” said Willis, who had arrived from Florida.
Yellowstone, America’s oldest national park, and the nearby Grand Teton national park are the most recent to have partially reopened with the support of the Trump administration.Yellowstone, America’s oldest national park, and the nearby Grand Teton national park are the most recent to have partially reopened with the support of the Trump administration.
“I hope everybody is listening,” Donald Trump announced earlier in May. “The parks are opening, and rapidly, actually.”“I hope everybody is listening,” Donald Trump announced earlier in May. “The parks are opening, and rapidly, actually.”
While many have celebrated the reopening of the revered landscapes, others have raised health concerns about large, possibly maskless, groups of out-of-state visitors arriving and potentially skirting social distancing guidelines.While many have celebrated the reopening of the revered landscapes, others have raised health concerns about large, possibly maskless, groups of out-of-state visitors arriving and potentially skirting social distancing guidelines.
Republicans are recruiting doctors to promote Trump’s plan to reopen the economy quickly, the AP reports:Republicans are recruiting doctors to promote Trump’s plan to reopen the economy quickly, the AP reports:
Environmental groups are none too pleased.Environmental groups are none too pleased.
“Trump’s latest order makes about as much sense as drinking bleach,” said Brett Hartl, the government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “He’s using the pandemic to slash life-saving protections for our air, water, and wildlife when these safeguards have never been more important. It’s astounding that Trump is so out of touch with the majority of people who understand that there can’t be economic recovery on a dying planet.”“Trump’s latest order makes about as much sense as drinking bleach,” said Brett Hartl, the government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “He’s using the pandemic to slash life-saving protections for our air, water, and wildlife when these safeguards have never been more important. It’s astounding that Trump is so out of touch with the majority of people who understand that there can’t be economic recovery on a dying planet.”
Trump has signed an executive order encouraging agencies to cut regulations in the name of economic recovery.Trump has signed an executive order encouraging agencies to cut regulations in the name of economic recovery.
“Agencies must continue to remove barriers to the greatest engine of economic prosperity the world has ever known: the innovation, initiative, and drive of the American people,” the order states.“Agencies must continue to remove barriers to the greatest engine of economic prosperity the world has ever known: the innovation, initiative, and drive of the American people,” the order states.
A new study suggests a connection between crowded polling places and the spread of Covid-19 in Wisconsin during the state’s 7 April election.
The Guardian’s Sam Levine reports:
The study finds a “statistically and economically significant association between in-person voting and the spread of Covid-19 two to three weeks after the election”. By studying state election and Covid-19 data, researchers concluded that consolidating polling places and decreasing the number of absentee ballots led to an increase in positive Covid-19 tests weeks after the election.
The research by economists at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Ball State University was published as a working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research. “Our results indicate that Wisconsin counties with higher levels of in-person voting per polling location led to increases in the weekly positive rate of Covid-19 tests,” they wrote.
Furthermore, counties with higher absentee voting participation had lower rates of detecting Covid-19 two to three weeks after the election. “State and local officials scrambled in the weeks ahead of the election to prepare amid the Covid-19 pandemic. In Milwaukee, election officials were forced to close 175 of 180 polling places, but other places, such as the city of Madison, were able to keep 66 of 99 polling places open.
State health officials said that 52 people who tested positive for Covid-19 participated in in-person voting, but have cautioned they don’t know if people contracted the virus at the polls.
Here’s some more on that VA study that the president has described as “a Trump enemy statement”:
The study by VA and academic researchers reviewed the cases of 368 male patients treated at government hospitals – 97 treated with hydroxychloroquine, 113 with hydroxychloroquine, and the antibiotic azithromycin, and 158 without any hydroxychloroquine.
The study found that those who were treated with the antimalarial drug had a higher risk of death. But the research comes with several big caveats.
Most significantly, the study is retrospective. Rather than randomly assigning some patients to be treated with hydroxychloroquine and others without, researchers looked back on how patients who had and had not taken the drug fared. It’s unclear why doctors gave some patients the drug and not others, and it’s possible that physicians treated the most severe cases with hydroxychloroquine, which could at least partly explain why those patients fared worse.
The research was published as a pre-print – it has not yet gone through a rigorous process of peer review.
But there is absolutely no evidence that the researchers behind the study were biased, against the administration or against the use of the drug.
In response to growing criticism, the VA said last week that while it wouldn’t halt the use of hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment, it would offer the unproven drug to fewer patients.
In documents obtained by the Associated Press, the VA said it never “encouraged or discouraged” its government hospitals to use hydroxychloroquine. But publicly, the VA secretary, Robert Wilkie, has touted the drug and claimed without evidence that it has been shown to benefit younger veterans.
Still, it acknowledged that Wilkie had wrongly asserted publicly without evidence that the drug had been shown to benefit younger veterans. The VA, the nation’s largest hospital system, also agreed more study was needed on the drug and suggested its use was now limited to extenuating circumstances, such as last-ditch efforts to save a coronavirus patient’s life.
Hi there, it’s Maanvi Singh, blogging from the west coast.
The former veterans affairs secretary, who said he was forced out of the Trump administration, has weighed in on Trump bashing the VA study that found patients who took hydroxychloroquine didn’t benefit.
David Shulkin, a physician and former hospital executive who served as undersecretary of veterans affairs in the Obama administration, initially helped Trump pass an expansion of the GI Bill for post-9/11 veterans and a law that streamlined the appeals process for veterans seeking disability benefits. But he left the administration amid disagreements between him and more conservative administration officials and after the release inspector general’s report that held Shulkin responsible for “serious derelictions” during an overseas trip .
Donald Trump has reignited a controversy over the antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine after telling reporters he was taking the latter to protect himself against coronavirus. What do we know about these drugs?
What is hydroxychloroquine?
Hydroxychloroquine, which Trump says he has been taking for about two weeks, was developed as an antimalarial but it is also used to treat conditions like lupus, an anti-immune disease, and arthritis, where it can help combat inflammation. It has been licensed for use in the US since the mid 1950s and is listed by the World Health Organization as an “essential” medicine.
What’s the state of the current evidence?
In May, the British Medical Journal reported on a randomised (although still problematic) clinical trial in China that found little evidence hydroxychloroquine worked, with serious adverse events noted in two patients.
A second study reported in the BMJ last week on a French trial also concluded that hydroxychloroquine does not significantly reduce admission to intensive care or improve survival rates in patients hospitalised with pneumonia owing to Covid-19. Overall, 89% of those who received hydroxychloroquine survived after 21 days, compared with 91% in the control group.
The US Food and Drug Administration in a safety alert issued on 24 April warned that it had received reports that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine could have serious side-effects and that the drugs should be taken only under the close supervision of a doctor in a hospital setting or a clinical trial.
What are the risks in taking hydroxychloroquine?
There are a number of side-effects. The most serious is that it can interfere with the rhythm of the heart. Other side-effects include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, skin rash or itching or hair loss. Research published by the Mayo Clinic has suggested that “off-label” repurposing of drugs such as hydroxychloroquine could lead to “drug-induced sudden cardiac death”.
Although Trump’s official physician has said he was in “very good health” at his last official checkup, the president is 73 and his recorded weight would put him in a BMI category of “clinically obese”.
That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours.
Here’s where the day stands so far:
The president criticized a negative hydroxychloroquine study as a “Trump enemy statement.” A study of hundreds of coronavirus patients at US veterans health administration medical centers showed those treated with the anti-malaria drug, which Trump has repeatedly promoted, were no less likely to need a ventilator and actually saw a higher death rate.
Vice President Mike Pence said he is not taking hydroxychloroquine. Pence’s admission came one day after Trump told reporters he has been taking the drug in recent days, despite the Food and Drug Administration’s guidance that it should only be used in hospital settings.
Trump lashed out against Nancy Pelosi after the House speaker described the president as “morbidly obese.” Pelosi said she did not think Trump should be taking hydroxychloroquine, particularly considering his age and weight. “Pelosi is a sick woman,” Trump said in response. “She’s got a lot of problems, a lot of mental problems.”
Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and Fed chairman Jerome Powell virtually testified before the Senate banking committee. Mnuchin warned that an extended shutdown could potentially cause “permanent damage” to the US economy, while Powell suggested Congress may need to approve additional relief funding.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo issued some thinly veiled criticism of Trump. “You’re not going to tweet your way through this,” Cuomo said during his daily briefing.
Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
None of Trump’s cabinet members would say if they are also taking hydroxychloroquine to help prevent coronavirus.
“Many of them would take it if they thought it was necessary,” the president told reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House.
Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged earlier today that he is not taking the anti-malaria drug, but he said he “wouldn’t hesitate” to use it if his doctor recommended it.
Once again, there is scant evidence that hydroxychloroqine is an effective coronavirus treatment, and the FDA has said it should only be used in hospital settings due to potential complications, including heart problems.
Trump doubled down on his criticism of a hydroxychloroquine study, which showed coronavirus patients who were treated with the anti-malaria drug saw a significantly higher death rate.
According to the results of a study of hundreds of patients at US veterans health administration medical centers, 97 patients who took hydroxychloroquine had a 27.8% death rate, while the 158 patients who did not take the drug had an 11.4% death rate.
“That was a false study done, where they gave it very sick people. Extremely sick people. People that were ready to die,” Trump said. “It was given by obviously not friends of the administration.”
Trump went on to falsely claim that evidence suggests hydroxychloroquine does not have negative side effects. “What has been determined is it doesn’t harm you,” Trump said.
In reality, the Food and Drug Administration has said hydroxychloroquine should only be used as a coronavirus treatment in hopsital settings, due to “reports of serious heart rhythm problems” in virus patients who had received the drug.
When a reporter mentioned the FDA guidance, Trump said, “That’s not what I was told.”
Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin showed off the debit cards the Trump administration is producing to distribute coronavirus relief funds.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House, Mnuchin said the debit cards would help the federal government get money to Americans “even quicker in a very safe way.”
Mnuchin presented Trump with a debit card with his name on it, jokingly adding, “Now there’s no money for you on it. This is a blank debit card.”
The president admired the card and then asked, “Do I sign the letter again?” That comment appeared to be a reference to the gushing letter Trump sent to accompany the direct cash payments from the stimulus package, which sparked accusations that the president was politicizing financial relief.
Mnuchin replied to Trump’s question, “The next time we send money, you’ll get to send another letter.”
Senate minority leader takes issue with inaction on coronavirus crisis, rails as president challenges “Trump enemy statement” on hydroxychloroquine.
The frustration vibrates off the screen. Here’s New York Democrat and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer railing at Trump goings on on Capitol Hill this afternoon.
Trump wants to talk about hydroxychloroquine and how a recent, large study that showed dubious benefits and plenty of dangers in relation to Covid-19 patients and anyone taking it as a prophylactic must be down to bias against him. Schumer wants to talk about something else.
This study: