Inside STAT: Fact-checking Trump’s optimistic hydroxychloroquine claims

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE NIH'S ANTHONY FAUCI (ERIC BARADAT/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Despite a lack of scientific evidence to suggest that the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine works against Covid-19, President Trump has seemingly been unable to stop talking about the drug. He's gone so far as to effectively prevent Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease researcher, from answering a question about the drug at a recent White House press briefing. In a new story, STAT's Lev Facher fact-checks the president's many statements about hydroxychloroquine, including his claim that there are "very strong signs" to show the drug works against Covid-19  — when in reality only one now-criticized study showed some evidence it could reduce the level of the virus when used in combination with another antibacterial drug. Read more here.