[cameldrv]

100% agree. I have been really exasperated how every goddamn thing in this pandemic, whether it's HCQ or masks or lockdowns has to have one team come out in favor, and then the other team reflexively comes out against it.

HCQ is one of those "scissor" issues, in that the data makes it almost maximally divisive. It is just very unclear whether it works or not.

There have been numerous retrospective associational studies that have largely shown some benefit. There have been two RCTs, one of which was for serious patients, and one was as prophylaxis. Both returned negative results. The WHO is also running the Solidarity RCT, and the HCQ arm was dropped early due to non-efficacy.

HCQ's proponents are now saying that you have to take it early in the disease process, augmented with either Azithromicyn or Zinc. No one has run this RCT and released data.

My personal feeling at this point is that it probably doesn't work. Given that they've terminated the HCQ arm of the Solidarity trial, I wish they'd release the data and resolve the question.