Dr. Anthony Fauci today brushed off a poll showing that a third of the world's physicians in the frontlines against Covid-19 have found that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine is the best available in the fight against Covid. The study also found that only 23 percent of U.S. Covid-fighting doctors thought well of the drug.
The United States is lagging far behind Europe and Japan in getting rapid returns on tests for Covid, the study found. Doctors told pollsters that what they most need to know is when rapid tests will become available, when new treatments will become available and the effectiveness of existing medications to treat the disease.
The poll was needed because censorship and ineptitude are delaying "solutions to the pandemic," according to Peter Kirk, chief executive of the company, Sermo, which conducted the poll.
Fauci, a 79-year-old immunologist who is a White House point man in the Covid war, said that "feelings" of doctors do not constitute science. He did not announce when scientific study results would be released.
Fauci also waved off Dr. Mehmet Oz's enthusiasm for the drug, saying the China study Oz cited was "not robust." But Oz countered that while better studies are necessary, "We have to fight with the army we have."
Expert opinion is considered an important barometer among those who practice Bayesian statistics, a form of statistics often used in epidemiology -- though Sermo did not publish its precise statistical methods, which are available on request.
Remarks of Fauci and Oz occurred during broadcast interviews.
The medical company Sermo said yesterday hydroxychloroquine was listed by 37 percent of poll respondents as the most effective therapy. The poll gave doctors a set of 15 drugs, the firm said, which called its poll the "largest statistically significant study" done so far. The pollsters checked 6,200 physicians, the firm said. The firm added that 80 percent of respondents foresee a second wave of Covid-19.
Though many doctors saw hydroxychloroquine as effective, it has been used differently in different countries, the poll found [which may imply that the effectiveness is not uniform or not necessarily strong in many patients].
Sermo styles itself a “virtual doctors’ lounge” that facilitates medical collaboration and crowdsourcing. The New York-based company says 800,000 doctors in 150 countries are plugged into its service.
The following comes from a company statement:
The top three drugs prescribed for Covid are pain-killers, given by 56% of doctors; the antibiotic Azithromycin, given by 41%; and hydroxychloroquine, given by 33%.
But percentages for hydroxychloroquine vary by country. In
Globally, 19% of physicians prescribed or have seen hydroxychloroquine used as a preventive for high-risk patients, and 8% for low- risk patients
A second global outbreak of Covid is anticipated by 83% of the world's physicians and by 90% of U.S. physicians but by only 50% of Chinese physicians.
On average, tests in the United States take four to five days, and in 10% of cases the wait is more than seven days, though 14% of U.S. physicians are getting results within 24 hours. This contrasts with more than 50% in Europe and Japan receiving results within 24 hours and a claim from China that 73% there receive results within 24 hours, with 7% saying results come back within an hour.
In all countries except China, the top criterion for deciding who should receive a ventilator first was the patient with the highest chance of recovery (47%) followed by those most ill and at highest risk of death (21%), then first responders (15%).
In China the priorities were reversed as the most ill and highest risk of death received ventilators. First responders were more important in the United States. France, Japan and Italy prioritized age, while Brazil and Russia prioritized higher risk patients.
As to when social distancing curbs should be lifted, in the United States 63% of physicians recommend restrictions be lifted six or more weeks from now, with 66% believing the infection peak is at least three to four weeks away
The large majority of physicians globally believe government actions are very to somewhat effective. A majority of physicians believe state and government are weighing public and economic concerns appropriately.
The poll found that the most pressing needs globally are personal protective equipment (PPE), rapid Covid-19 test kits and ventilators.
A majority of physicians are worried about spreading the virus to family members, with about 50% concerned about the possibility of catching the virus in the next two months Some 81% of physicians have taken special precautions at home, including changing their clothes and showering before joining family; some even stay in isolation Close to a quarter of physicians and over a third of patients report extreme stress.
Sermo said the survey was designed with input from healthcare professionals, healthcare industry veterans, and market research professionals. The survey is divided into four sections covering key Covid issues:
The United States is lagging far behind Europe and Japan in getting rapid returns on tests for Covid, the study found. Doctors told pollsters that what they most need to know is when rapid tests will become available, when new treatments will become available and the effectiveness of existing medications to treat the disease.
The poll was needed because censorship and ineptitude are delaying "solutions to the pandemic," according to Peter Kirk, chief executive of the company, Sermo, which conducted the poll.
Fauci, a 79-year-old immunologist who is a White House point man in the Covid war, said that "feelings" of doctors do not constitute science. He did not announce when scientific study results would be released.
Fauci also waved off Dr. Mehmet Oz's enthusiasm for the drug, saying the China study Oz cited was "not robust." But Oz countered that while better studies are necessary, "We have to fight with the army we have."
Expert opinion is considered an important barometer among those who practice Bayesian statistics, a form of statistics often used in epidemiology -- though Sermo did not publish its precise statistical methods, which are available on request.
Remarks of Fauci and Oz occurred during broadcast interviews.
The medical company Sermo said yesterday hydroxychloroquine was listed by 37 percent of poll respondents as the most effective therapy. The poll gave doctors a set of 15 drugs, the firm said, which called its poll the "largest statistically significant study" done so far. The pollsters checked 6,200 physicians, the firm said. The firm added that 80 percent of respondents foresee a second wave of Covid-19.
Though many doctors saw hydroxychloroquine as effective, it has been used differently in different countries, the poll found [which may imply that the effectiveness is not uniform or not necessarily strong in many patients].
Sermo styles itself a “virtual doctors’ lounge” that facilitates medical collaboration and crowdsourcing. The New York-based company says 800,000 doctors in 150 countries are plugged into its service.
The following comes from a company statement:
The top three drugs prescribed for Covid are pain-killers, given by 56% of doctors; the antibiotic Azithromycin, given by 41%; and hydroxychloroquine, given by 33%.
But percentages for hydroxychloroquine vary by country. In
¶ Spain: 72% of doctors use hydroxychloroquineHydroxychloroquine was chosen as the best available drug (from a list of 15) as follows:
¶ Italy: 49% use the drug
¶ Brazil 41%
¶ Mexico 39%
¶ France 28%
¶ United States 23%
¶ Germany 17%
¶ Canada 16%
¶ Britain 13%
¶ Japan 7%
¶ Spain 75%The two most common treatment regimens for hydroxychloroquine were:
¶ Italy 53%
¶ China 44%
¶ Brazil 43%
¶ France 29%
¶ U.S. 23%
¶ Britain 13%
¶ 38% of doctors administered 400 milligrams twice on day one followed by 400 mg daily for five daysOutside the United States, hydroxychloroquine was used for Covid patients with mild to severe symptoms, whereas in the United States it most commonly went to high-risk patients.
¶ 26% of doctors administered 400 milligrams twice on day one followed by 200 mg twice daily for four days
Globally, 19% of physicians prescribed or have seen hydroxychloroquine used as a preventive for high-risk patients, and 8% for low- risk patients
A second global outbreak of Covid is anticipated by 83% of the world's physicians and by 90% of U.S. physicians but by only 50% of Chinese physicians.
On average, tests in the United States take four to five days, and in 10% of cases the wait is more than seven days, though 14% of U.S. physicians are getting results within 24 hours. This contrasts with more than 50% in Europe and Japan receiving results within 24 hours and a claim from China that 73% there receive results within 24 hours, with 7% saying results come back within an hour.
In all countries except China, the top criterion for deciding who should receive a ventilator first was the patient with the highest chance of recovery (47%) followed by those most ill and at highest risk of death (21%), then first responders (15%).
In China the priorities were reversed as the most ill and highest risk of death received ventilators. First responders were more important in the United States. France, Japan and Italy prioritized age, while Brazil and Russia prioritized higher risk patients.
As to when social distancing curbs should be lifted, in the United States 63% of physicians recommend restrictions be lifted six or more weeks from now, with 66% believing the infection peak is at least three to four weeks away
The large majority of physicians globally believe government actions are very to somewhat effective. A majority of physicians believe state and government are weighing public and economic concerns appropriately.
The poll found that the most pressing needs globally are personal protective equipment (PPE), rapid Covid-19 test kits and ventilators.
A majority of physicians are worried about spreading the virus to family members, with about 50% concerned about the possibility of catching the virus in the next two months Some 81% of physicians have taken special precautions at home, including changing their clothes and showering before joining family; some even stay in isolation Close to a quarter of physicians and over a third of patients report extreme stress.
Sermo said the survey was designed with input from healthcare professionals, healthcare industry veterans, and market research professionals. The survey is divided into four sections covering key Covid issues:
¶ State of the Pandemic: physicians’ opinions on the state of the outbreak in their region/state and the effectiveness of governmental efforts
¶ Resource Needs: Covid information and resources physicians want from the healthcare industry
¶ Treatments: physicians’ experiences treating Covid patients; insights into the treatments used and their safety and efficacy
¶ Impacts: ethics related to wartime triaging and medical shortages; personal perspectives on the outbreak’s emotional impact.
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