Los Angeles Times

Column: The bad science behind Trump's chloroquine claims

Jennifer Herrera is down to her last 15 days of a drug she needs to control her inflammatory arthritis. Her pharmacy is out of stock and has no idea when its next shipment will come in.

Her misfortune is that she's dependent on a version of chloroquine, a drug touted by President Trump and others as a treatment for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Pharmacists have been telling patients with arthritis and lupus, an auto-immune condition treated with the drug, that refill supplies are short, if not currently nonexistent.

Novartis, the lead manufacturer of the hydroxychloroquine formulation Herrera takes, Plaquenil, has donated 30 million doses of the drug to the federal government for stockpiling as a COVID-19 treatment.

That raised the hackles of the Lupus Foundation and Arthritis Foundation, which have asked Vice President Mike Pence in a joint letter to ensure that their patients aren't deprived of the medication.

Meanwhile, doctors have been reported to be writing prescriptions for chloroquine for themselves and their families, and prescribing

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times6 min readCrime & Violence
UCLA’s Top Cop, Accused Of Security Lapse, Faces Calls To Step Aside. He Defends His Actions
LOS ANGELES — The UCLA police chief is facing growing scrutiny for what three sources told the Los Angeles Times was a string of serious security lapses before a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian student encampment this week. But the chief, John Thomas,
Los Angeles Times2 min read
Bay Bridge To Be Relit, With Twice The Lights
In the decade after they went up, the 25,000 LED lights illuminating the western side of the Bay Bridge endured a brutal pounding. “It’s the salty air, the wind, the fog, the rain, the 24-7 vibrations on the bridge, lightning strikes, car grit and gr
Los Angeles Times3 min readCrime & Violence
Before Mob Attack, UCLA Police Chief Was Ordered To Create Security Plan But Didn’t, Sources Say
LOS ANGELES — On the morning before a mob attacked a pro-Palestinian student encampment at UCLA, campus Police Chief John Thomas assured university leadership that he could mobilize law enforcement “in minutes” — a miscalculation from the three hours

Related Books & Audiobooks