Now the research examined data from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, the USA and Turkey. And the result suggests that 16,900 people could have died as a result of the treatment.
According to the researchers, the study is based on data published in the journal Nature in 2021 indicating an 11% increase in mortality rates when chloroquine is prescribed.
However, the study authors warn that these figures are just the beginning of a research story that should determine the true extent of the impact. Finally, in the first months of the pandemic, the drug was also distributed in several other countries, while in the case of Brazil and the United States, the treatment entered the agenda defended by the extreme right.
These figures likely represent just the tip of the iceberg and greatly underestimate the number of HCQ (hydroxychloroquine)related deaths worldwide.
Excerpt from the study on chloroquine
“Offlabel prescribing may be appropriate if doctors believe they have sufficient evidence of the drug's benefit. However, the first series reporting the effect of HCQ showed limited or no effectiveness in reducing mortality,” he warned.
According to the study, “HCQ toxicity in patients with Covid19 is partly due to cardiac side effects, including conduction abnormalities.”