The VA study was a retroactive study of 368 deaths. That’s not huge, nor is it particularly small when it comes to mortality.

Here’s the text of the study: “In this study, we found no evidence that use of hydroxychloroquine, either with or without azithromycin, reduced the risk of mechanical ventilation in patients hospitalized with Covid-19. An association of increased overall mortality was identified in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine alone.”

From the AAAS blog, it is noted that some studies show some benefit, but others show an increased mortality. It also lists a study in Brazil that indicates a higher mortality rate. It discusses a study in France that claimed excellent results, but it included no manuscript, no control group, and no comparison to other patients mentioned in the abstract.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) issued a press release supporting the rigidity of that Brazilian study. Here’s what JAMA said:

In small, uncontrolled studies, hydroxychloroquine and its congener, chloroquine, were reported to be effective against COVID-19, although the publishing journal’s society subsequently declared that the trial did “not meet the Society’s expected standard.” These weak findings, bolstered by anecdotal reports and media attention, have fostered widespread belief in the efficacy of these agents.

In response, concerns have been raised about the lack of reliable efficacy data and about potential toxic effects. In short-term use, chloroquine can prolong the QT interval and induce arrhythmias. This is especially concerning in elderly patients with underlying heart disease who are at highest risk for COVID-19. Nonetheless, in many hospitals, patients with known or suspected COVID-19 infection are routinely being treated with chloroquine, and it is often being coadministered with other agents, such as azithromycin, that might synergistically cause QT interval prolongation. At least 1 death in the general population has resulted from unintentional poisoning due to ill-advised use of chloroquine.

The article continues:

First, Borba et al found no apparent association of the appearance of QTc interval prolongation and subsequent death. There was also no witnessed torsade de pointes, an arrhythmia that is characteristically induced by QTc interval prolongation. Second, all patients were also receiving azithromycin, and nearly all were receiving oseltamivir (for possible influenza), which can also prolong the QTc interval. Thus, one can only conclude from this trial that high-dose chloroquine (and by close association, hydroxychloroquine) in combination and azithromycin and possibly oseltamivir, is potentially associated with increased mortality among patients with severe, suspected COVID-19.

That pretty much dovetails with what the VA’s retroactive study found.

Considering the documented fact that Trump averages more than five falsehoods or misleading statement per day, he’s really not the one you should be listening to concerning medicine.