The growing shadow over a Covid cure

Here's the latest news: Coronavirus death hit U.S. weeks earlier than reported Virus fight calls for rethinking of U.S. relationship, China says Germany's new virus cases near three-week low The growing shadow over a Covid cure The odds of success for President Donald Trump's favored coronavirus treatment keep getting longer. On Tuesday, it was the U.S. government that erected new obstacles. First, a panel of medical experts assembled by the National Institutes of Health recommended against using hydroxychloroquine, a  malaria treatment, in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin to treat Covid-19. Though a few small, early studies raised hopes that the drug could help patients fight off coronavirus infections, hydroxychloroquine can also cause heart issues. Doctors, pharmacy experts and government researchers and officials advising NIH warned that taking the two potent medications together could lead to harm. Trump had touted hydroxychloroquine as a potential "game-changer" in spite of the scant scientific evidence to support his claims. Dozens of other therapies are also being explored for treating the coronavirus, but Trump's backing for the malaria drug has made it a cause celebre among his most ardent supporters. Some doctors have taken it as a prophylactic to ward off the disease, and hospitals have rushed to stockpile it. That's left patients who need hydroxychloroquine to treat chronic diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis searching for alternatives.  The second blow to hydroxychloroquine was delivered by an analysis of 368 patients from the Veterans Administration that looked at how people with Covid-19 fared after getting the standard of care, hydroxychloroquine alone, or the combination. In that study, which hasn't yet been published or subjected to peer review, patients who got hydroxychloroquine alone had a higher death rate than those not getting it. There is a long way to go. Other studies of the drug are continuing around the world. But the results so far underline how slippery science can be, most especially when the immediate health hopes of millions of people—and the political fortunes of a potential cure's most enthusiastic partisans—are riding on it.—Tim Annett Treating the virus The Most Promising Drugs and Vaccines Sponsored Content by Siemens We're thinking about our hands more than ever. Keeping America's factories, power plants, transportation and hospitals moving takes more than technology alone. It takes a human touch. Siemens Ingenuity for life.  See how.   What you should read How Herd Immunity Could Work In poor countries like India, younger populations may minimize deaths.  A Virus Lesson: Build Better Balconies  A lack of private outdoor spaces in many cities is partly by design. Johnson's Lockdown Faces Key Political Test Shortages of protective equipment for workers to be a focus. U.S. House Set to Vote on Another Stimulus Democrats drive for added funds for coronavirus testing. Data Illuminate Secrets of Lockdown Life Power bills show people sleep in, watch TV late into the night. Know someone else who would like this newsletter?  Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022