Hydroxychloroquine, a drug for which usage has been met with cautionary messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci, has been actively promoted by current POTUS Donald Trump as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
This continued endorsement, of course, comes without the backup of conclusive scientific studies on the anti-malaria medicine's safety for certain types of patients or its general ability to assist in novel coronavirus treatment. And while hydroxychloroquine's purported benefits may turn out to be proven, many are taking a closer look at the Powers That Be behind it all.
Now, per a New York Timesreport out this week, it's been revealed that Trump boasts "a small personal financial interest" in Sanofi, the French company that makes the brand-name version of hydroxychloroquine known as Plaquenil:
As of last year, Mr. Trump reported that his three family trusts each had investments in a Dodge & Cox mutual fund, whose largest holding was in Sanofi.
Hydroxychloroquine, already approved for malaria and lupus treatment by the FDA, was given an emergency order distinction by the administration in March in an effort to assist doctors who wanted to give it to COVID-19 patients. The FDA has not, however, claimed that any treatment or cure of any kind exists for the virus.
As has been widely reported, Dr. Fauci is said to have been at odds with many in the Trump administration regarding the drug, the virus-related information for which he's characterized as being merely anecdotal at best.
"I think we disagree a little bit," Trump said during a press conference last month. "I feel good about it. That's all it is, just a feeling...I feel good about it."
And just this weekend, Trump interrupted when a reporter asked Dr. Fauci about hydroxychloroquine during another presser.
"He's answered that question 15 times," Trump said.
For a full breakdown of the current facts surrounding hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19, please consult this.
