A Los Angeles doctor praised using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 during an interview with a local news station on Sunday, claiming that it has a dramatic effect on patients who are seriously ill when combined with zinc.
Dr. Anthony Cardillo, CEO of Mend Urgent Care, made the remarks during an interview with ABC 7 news anchor Jory Rand.
“What we’re finding clinically with our patients is that it really only works in conjunction with zinc. So the hydroxychloroquine opens the zinc channel, zinc goes into the cell, it then blocks the replication of the cellular machinery,” Cardillo said. “So, it has to be used in conjunction with zinc. We are seeing some clinical responses in that regard. There are people that take it regularly for other disease processes, we have to be cautious and mindful that we don’t prescribe for patients who have COVID that are well. It really should be reserved for people that are really sick, in the hospital, or at home very sick that need that medication, otherwise we’re going to blow through our supply for the patients that take it regularly for other disease processes.”
“Every patient I’ve prescribed it to has been very, very ill and within 8-12 hours they were basically symptom free and so, clinically I am seeing a resolution that mirrors what we saw in the French study and some of the other studies worldwide,” Cardillo continued. “But what I am seeing is that people that are taking it alone, by itself, it’s not having efficacy.”
WATCH:
PROMISING NEWS!
We asked a local doctor about Hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug President Trump has been pushing. He says he has prescribed it along with Zinc to severely ill Covid-19 patients and says they are SYMPTOM FREE in 8-12 hours.
WATCH: https://t.co/tufXbgi21T@ABC7— Jory Rand (@ABC7Jory) April 5, 2020
TRANSCRIPT:
ABC 7 NEWS ANCHOR JORY RAND: Ok, real quick. We have a little bit of time left. I do want to ask you about hydroxychloroquine, the president was pushing it pretty strong again yesterday. You said you have prescribed this, I want to talk to you about the effects you’re seeing and what it might do for people who take it normally outside of coronavirus and a possible shortage of medicine for them.
DR. ANTHONY CARDILLO: Exactly. What we’re finding clinically with our patients is that it really only works in conjunction with zinc. So the hydroxychloroquine opens the zinc channel, zinc goes into the cell, it then blocks the replication of the cellular machinery. So, it has to be used in conjunction with zinc. We are seeing some clinical responses in that regard. There are people that take it regularly for other disease processes, we have to be cautious and mindful that we don’t prescribe for patients who have COVID that are well. It really should be reserved for people that are really sick, in the hospital, or at home very sick that need that medication, otherwise we’re going to blow through our supply for the patients that take it regularly for other disease processes.
RAND: But what you’re saying is, you’re prescribing it and it is working for COVID-19 patients?
CARDILLO: Every patient I’ve prescribed it to has been very, very ill and within 8-12 hours they were basically symptom free and so, clinically I am seeing a resolution that mirrors what we saw in the French study and some of the other studies worldwide. But what I am seeing is that people that are taking it alone, by itself, it’s not having efficacy.