Internet Searches for Unproven COVID-19 Therapies in the United States
Study found queries for purchasing chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine were 442% and 1389% higher, respectively, after high-profile claims they were effective COVID-19 therapies, with 1st and largest spike linked to Elon Musk’s tweet and Trump’s 1st TV endorsements, respectively
Source:
JAMA Internal Medicine
SPS commentary:
An Editor’s note stresses the importance of not giving in to non-evidence-based calls to embrace unproven therapies, despite the temptation to bypass enduring principles in this time of uncertainty and fear. It reiterates that the best way to protect patients is to stay grounded in evidence and to fight misinformation.