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You can't assume the top line effect size is real without critiquing the study design in detail. A lot of experienced drug developer think the data suggests that HCQ may be marginally effective, but Azt + HCQ seems promising. THere are others who are more skepticl

Check out this analysis: https://twitter.com/AppleHelix/status/1240495937522368512

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HCQ is already the recommended treatment for certain cases in many countries, including the US. Here is a super interesting conference call from UCSF: https://youtu.be/bt-BzEve46Y?t=3194

because nothing is known to work yet for covid-19, doctors are doing the best they can with limited data. this means using unproven drugs for which, to the best of our knowledge, the risk-beneift is favorable. HCQ for covid-19 is an exampel of this: we dont know if it works, but it might, and it seems safe enough

the goal of studies like this are to strengthen the evidence base and remove those unknowns, so physicians can make evidence-based decisions. if the study is sufficiently poorly designed, it does not accomplish this goal, and can even lead to misinformation

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