I don't think that's accurate. It's mechanism is well known and to my knowledge the only ones saying that it was a cure were those trying to prevent it's use by misrepresenting it and those promoting it by saying THEY said it was a cure. It doesn't work by itself, and all of the research since before covid says as much. I know of no doctors who said by itself it was a cure for anything, only the press made that claim.

It's an ion transport channel facilitator. It's never been alleged to work by itself to my knowledge. It allows the immune system to work better especially when used in conjunction with other agents (z-pack and ivermectin for example). It's effectiveness and molecular mechanism was well documented from the beginning. I learned about it in March 2020 and was able to read up on it and it's use in treating covid before social media started banning anything that referenced it. But it, like ivermectin (an equally well documented DNA replication inhibitor) were demonized and mocked despite the vast body of research on it and it's use.

Australia had great research (though small sample size, it was thorough) on it's use and effectiveness at the beginning of the pandemic and it was shut down despite it being clearly explained the strict conditions under which it was effective (treatment within the first 8 days of showing symptoms, used with z-pack, etc). They even had research quantifying how it's effectiveness dropped without the z-pack components or as those treated didn't start treatment until 8 or more days. Not a controlled study but even Idris Elba was treated with it and raved about it's effectiveness in conjunction with the z-pack. It was all over the news before Trump mentioned it and then BAM! Censorship and propaganda campaign against it.

It's not at all weird that new research about Alzheimers hit the HN front page; Alzheimers is a recurring fascination for the site. Unfortunately, so are political debates, which, unlike neurodegenerative illnesses, are generally off-topic for the site.