Anecdotal evidence is based on a real-life event, perhaps just a single occurrence. In medicine and science, much current knowledge began with an anecdote. A famous example occurred in 1928, when Sir Alexander Fleming happened to observe that mold developed on an accidentally contaminated staphylococcus culture plate, and that the mold prevented growth of the bacteria.

This led to the discovery of penicillin, saving countless lives, based on anecdotal evidence of bacteria not growing near a spot of mold. With World War II creating injuries, infections, and sepsis, penicillin was produced in mass, preserving lives and limbs.

Another more recent example comes from my world of retina surgery. An anti-cancer drug, Avastin, was injected into the eyes of a few patients with advanced macular degeneration. These few patients responded well, anecdotally. After this breakthrough was reported at a retina meeting, it almost immediately became the new treatment standard worldwide.

Quit Smoking Aid - Lun... Buy New $26.99 ($26.99 / Count) (as of 02:46 UTC - Details) There were no prospective, randomized clinical trials, considered the gold standard, just the anecdotal observation that this off label treatment worked and saved vision. Despite being the most commonly used treatment for macular degeneration, Avastin is still not FDA approved for this indication.

At the time of inception, the risks were unknown. Could it cause a stroke? Inflammation? Infection? This was a drug that didn’t go through the FDA approval process, at least for injection in the eye, despite it being FDA approved as chemotherapy for metastatic cancer.

Were state governors restricting its use? Were media magpies with little medical knowledge, and even less common sense castigating anyone who dared recommend such an “unproven” and “dangerous” therapy?

Yet here we are in a similar situation with the drug hydroxychloroquine. FDA approved in 1955, doctors have over fifty years experience using it for malaria prevention and various immune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. But look at the abject hysteria from the media, and even the smart set on the task force.

Like any drug, there are potential side effects, some significant, in particular cardiac arrhythmias. Hydroxy shouldn’t be taken by those with a prolonged QT interval on their EKG. This condition affects about 1 in 2500 and is easily found on an EKG. Those traveling to malaria prevalent countries take it for the duration of their travels, from weeks to months.  Longer term, hydroxy can rarely affect vision, but after a minimum of five years of use, not the 5 days or so recommended for Coronavirus treatment or prophylaxis. Dr.Jino Iodim High Pot... Buy New $30.00 ($0.25 / Count) (as of 09:29 UTC - Details)

Meaning this a well-known and relatively safe drug. Compare this to other commonly prescribed drugs. Anti-depressants can cause suicide and blood thinners may lead to internal bleeding. Even water can cause death if one drinks too much of it.

It so happens that hydroxy has efficacy against the often-deadly Coronavirus. An upstate New York doctor treating a community of Hasidic Jews, reports a 100 percent success rate treating mild to moderate cases with hydroxy, azithromycin, and zinc. The New York Times, showing disdain for upstate New York, orthodox Jews, and anything remotely connected to President Trump, ran this headline,  “Touting virus cure, simple country doctor becomes right-wing star.”

Across the fruited plains to Los Angeles, an emergency medicine specialist also reports “significant success” using hydroxy and zinc, with patients becoming symptom free “within 8 to 12 hours.” Anecdotal evidence, but what’s the alternative?

Read the Whole Article

How to Survive the End... James Wesley Rawles Best Price: $1.48 Buy New $7.99 (as of 03:50 UTC - Details) Vigilant Supply Co. Qu... Buy New $22.95 (as of 09:27 UTC - Details)

$post_author: WP_User Object
(
    [data] => stdClass Object
        (
            [ID] => 5860
            [user_login] => no_author
            [user_pass] => 6581364babeda3eebbeb65d5094e43d1
            [user_nicename] => no_author
            [user_email] => [email protected]
            [user_url] => 
            [user_registered] => 2013-07-08 16:44:09
            [user_activation_key] => 
            [user_status] => 0
            [display_name] => No Author
            [type] => wpuser
        )

    [ID] => 5860
    [caps] => Array
        (
            [author] => 1
        )

    [cap_key] => wp_capabilities
    [roles] => Array
        (
            [0] => author
        )

    [allcaps] => Array
        (
            [upload_files] => 1
            [edit_posts] => 1
            [edit_published_posts] => 1
            [publish_posts] => 1
            [read] => 1
            [level_2] => 1
            [level_1] => 1
            [level_0] => 1
            [delete_posts] => 1
            [delete_published_posts] => 1
            [email_single_user] => 1
            [email_multiple_users] => 1
            [tablepress_edit_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_delete_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_list_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_add_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_copy_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_import_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_export_tables] => 1
            [tablepress_access_options_screen] => 1
            [tablepress_access_about_screen] => 1
            [author] => 1
        )

    [filter] => 
    [site_id:WP_User:private] => 1
)

get_the_author_meta: 

$bio: 

$bios: Array
(
)