A drug infamously touted by Donald Trump has been linked to nearly 17,000 Covid deaths in a new scientific study.

Researchers say that the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine was prescribed to patients during the first wave of Covid-19 “despite the absence of evidence documenting its clinical benefits.”

The French study estimated that 16,990 patients in the US, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Turkey may have died as a result of the drug.

The study has been published in the February issue of Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.

Researchers say the data used comes from a study published in the Nature scientific journal, which reported that there was an 11 per cent increase in mortality rate linked to the drug’s prescription.

  • Magnor
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    3711 months ago

    Well technically, dying does eliminate COVID from your body.

    • Stoneykins [any]
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      2111 months ago

      This is probably the grossest “um, actually” I’ve said ever, but I think technically rotting is what eventually gets rid of the covid in your body. A recently deceased person would still “have” covid in them.

          • Magnor
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            411 months ago

            And you comment was absolutely perfect :D (not being sarcastic).