Home » Health » Academies warn of the use of hydroxychloroquine and chlorine dioxide against COVID-19 in Venezuela

Academies warn of the use of hydroxychloroquine and chlorine dioxide against COVID-19 in Venezuela

The Academy of Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Acfiman) and the National Academy of Medicine (ANM) rejected the maintenance of hydroxychloroquine and the incorporation of chlorine dioxide and homeopathic medicines to the therapeutic scheme for the treatment of people with COVID-19 in the country.

In a joint statement shared this Monday, July 13, both Academies expressed their concern over the decision of the Nicolás Maduro government to continue using the antimalarial hidroxicloroquina and the antiretroviral Lopinavir / Ritonavir (Kaletra), despite the fact that the international trials were suspended for not giving good results.

On July 4, the World Health Organization accepted the recommendation of discontinue COVID-19 treatment groups with hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir / ritonavir, conducted by the International Steering Group for the Solidarity trial, an international clinical trial seeking to find an effective treatment against COVID-19.

“According to the data, Hydroxychloroquine and Kaletra do not reduce mortality nor do they reduce the hospitalization time of patients with COVID-19, when compared to the reference treatment, “indicates the document from the Academies.

The Acfiman and the ANM also warned about the use of chlorine dioxide, not recognized as a medicine against COVID-19 and used as a bleach in paper factories and in drinking water treatment plants.

“No health institution recognizes it as a medication, however, the list of dangers of chlorine dioxide is long and various authorities have issued forceful warnings against its use (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), ”the statement said.

Academics urge the Ministry of Health to rectify and reconsider treatment schedules to administer to Venezuelan patients affected or suspected of COVID-19, so that they are attached to the scientific evidence.

The decision announced on July 5 by the Ministry of Health was also rejected by representatives of scientific medical societies. “Using drugs outside of science is intrusion and pseudoscience,” said the infectologist Julio Castro, representative of the Commission of Health Experts adviser to the National Assembly and member of the Venezuelan Society of Infectious Diseases.

In the Latin American region, in Argentina The use, marketing and distribution of chlorine dioxide was also prohibited. The government of Bolivia He also disavowed the use of chlorine dioxide because there is no evidence for its use in patients with COVID-19.

Read the release here

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.