Comment by bpaddock | Hacker News Reader

Comment by bpaddock | Hacker News Reader

The Quinism Foundation Warns of Dangers from Use of Antimalarial Quinolines Against COVID‑19.

"Use of Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Mefloquine, Quinine, and Related Quinoline Drugs Risks Sudden and Lasting Neuropsychiatric Effects from Idiosyncratic Neurotoxicity."

https://quinism.org/press-releases/dangers-of-antimalarial-q...

The Anit-Malaria drugs They are pushing have a common ancestor to Fluoroquinolone antibiotics have MANY FDA warnings. The FDA says they should not be used unless all other options have been exhausted.

Those that have already been devastated by Fluoroquinolones are extremely upset to hear that a related quinolines drug is being proposed. While these two drugs are technically in a different class, they share some common ancestors. They both share many of the devastating side effects.

I have put all the FDA warnings for Fluoroquinolone antibiotics on my late wife's website. Levaquin was a significant contributor to Karen's suicide. :-(

http://www.kpaddock.com/fq

Respectfully, though I understand your effort to warn others, I think it is dangerous at this time to conflate chloroquine derivatives with Chloroquine. Single substitutions in biologically active compounds can cause drastically different effects including substantially different therapeutic ratios. Compare for example the various drugs in the amphetamine family (methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA, etc). They are not equally dangerous.

Similarly, the terrible results you report are AFAIK rare with Chloroquine. It is a well tolerated drug and if you're an older or immunocompromised patient playing Russian roulette with a late stage COVID19 infection, the minimal risk is highly preferable to no treatment.

> Those that have already been devastated by Fluoroquinolones are extremely upset to hear that a related quinolines drug is being proposed.

Raising awareness of the risks based on your personal experiences is reasonable. But the above statement seems to cross the line into irrationality by pre-deciding that quinolines aren't worth trying here. That casts doubt on whatever scientific arguments you put forth, because it doesn't seem like you're capable of being fair about this.

"Two drugs, chloroquine and remdesivir, are being designated for Expanded Access, or “compassionate use,” by the FDA."

It's already available. Hopefully soon to the general public (it's prescription only btw).

Sorry for your loss

As someone who is 2.5 years away from a fluoroquinolone reaction and still trying to get back they are no joke.

The mental/physical damage they can produce is not something you would expect.

I've been suffering badly from fluoroquinolone toxicity for 5 years. Doctors literally are clueless about it.

I had a bad reaction to Ciprofloxacin. These drugs are poison - they should be an absolute last resort.

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