Fact check: ‘Thousands’ of doctors have not said hydroxychloroquine cures COVID-19

The claim: COVID-19 ‘cures’ get tested, vaccines do not

As all 50 states have started re-opening their economies, the focus in combating the pandemic has shifted to finding potential cures and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. 

Drugs are used to treat an illness or medical condition. Vaccines are used to prevent disease.

President Donald Trump has consistently touted hydroxychloroquine, a drug used to treat and prevent malaria, as a potential cure for COVID-19.

But studies have not yet proven the drug is effective in treating COVID-19.

Despite a lack of research, Trump has maintained his hopeful views about hydroxychloroquine and has clashed with doctors and scientists who say the drug is not effective in treating the coronavirus.

As a result, confusion and misinformation has spread about the drug as a treatment for COVID-19.

One Facebook post claimed “thousands of independent doctors” say hydroxychloroquine cures “all CV-19 patients,” yet the drug isn’t a valid cure until a major study is done.

More: Fact check: What’s true and what’s false about coronavirus?

Is hydroxychloroquine an effective treatment for COVID-19?

Trump first touted the drug as a potential coronavirus cure in late March. Since then, research has shown that the drug is not effective in treating COVID-19. 

In late April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning against using the drug to treat COVID-19 because it has caused serious heart-rhythm problems in patients. 

“We would like to remind health care professionals and patients of the known risks associated with both hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine,” the warning states. “… Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have not been shown to be safe and effective for treating or preventing COVID-19.”

A survey of doctors

In regard to the Facebook post’s claim that “thousands of independent doctors” say the drug cures all coronavirus patients, it appears the poster is referencing this survey, which has been cited by others making similar claims.

The survey of 6,227 doctors from 30 countries was conducted by Sermo, an online medical forum. The survey states, “Hydroxychloroquine was overall chosen as the most effective therapy amongst COVID-19 treaters from a list of 15 options (37% of COVID-19 treaters).”

The survey’s data has been widely misinterpreted, according to a report by The National Interest.

Charts from the survey show only 2,171 respondents answered questions about treatments “they have personally prescribed or have seen used” for coronavirus.

Additionally, it is inaccurate to claim a majority of the surveyed doctors said hydroxychloroquine was the most effective treatment because only 37% of the doctors overall responded that way (majority meaning more than half).

Doctors were able to choose more than one option when selecting which treatment was most effective, meaning that the 37% who selected hydroxychloroquine may have also selected another treatment as well. Other treatment options in the survey included zinc tablets, analgesics, anti-HIV medications and “nothing.”

The answer U.S. doctors selected most often was actually “nothing,” with 51% of doctors choosing this option.

The process of developing a coronavirus vaccine 

The Facebook post also claims that “as soon as the CV-19 vaccine is manufactured it must be immediately delivered to health care professionals world wide for immediate human injection. Proper studies can be performed later.” 

This is false. There is a protocol that must be followed to ensure the safety, validity and use of any FDA-approved treatments and vaccines.

When discussions about a vaccine for the coronavirus began, health officials warned that the development of a vaccine often takes years due to the lengthy approval process.

However, in late May, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said a vaccine may be available by the end of the year, given the aggressive dedication of resources to the effort. 

There are 10 potential COVID-19 vaccines undergoing clinical evaluation and 123 others in preclinical trials, according to the World Health Organization. 

Our rating: False

The claims in the post have been rated FALSE. In the first claim, the post misinterpreted data from a survey of doctors and claimed hydroxychloroquine has proven effective in the treatment of COVID-19.

In the second claim, the post falsely stated that a coronavirus vaccine would be deployed worldwide and studies on the vaccine’s effectiveness would be done later. There is a protocol that is being followed to develop a safe and effective vaccine, the process is being expedited in response to the need.

Our fact-check sources: 

• Largest Statistically Significant Study by 6,200 Multi-Country Physicians on COVID-19 Uncovers Treatment Patterns and Puts Pandemic in Context
• COVID-19 Real Time Barometer Survey Methodology
• Hydroxychloroquine: About That 6,000-Doctor Survey…
• Vaccine Testing and Approval Process
• Draft landscape of COVID-19 candidate vaccines
• Hydroxychloroquine is not effective against COVID-19, extensive U.S. study shows
• No, a survey didn’t find a majority of doctors saying that hydroxychloroquine is the most effective treatment for Covid-19

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