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Breitbart reported on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s recent reversal on her stance regarding anti-malaria medication that may be helpful in helping to coronavirus patients.
Initially, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) threatened doctors with “administrative action” if they prescribed Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus. The letter read, “These are drugs that have not been proven scientifically or medically to treat COVID-19.”
“Prescribing hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine without further proof of efficacy for treating COVID-19 or with the intent to stockpile the drug may create a shortage for patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or other ailments for which chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are proven treatments,” it continued.
According to Bridge magazine, Michigan officials have “scrubbed the threat from the letter” and now seek the drugs from the Trump administration.
Whitmer changed her tune, stating, “We want to ensure that doctors have the ability to prescribe these medicines. We also want to make sure that the people who have prescriptions that predated COVID-19 have access to the medication they need. And so all of the work that we’ve done is trying to strike that balance.”
The state of Michigan is now aiming resources in the direction of obtaining and distributing Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, and they need the Trump Administration’s help.
Breitbart continued to report on the governor’s new direction.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved emergency use of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine as a possible coronavirus treatment, concluding that the potential benefits outweigh the risks.
“Based on the totality of scientific evidence available to FDA, it is reasonable to believe that chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate may be effective in treating COVID-19,” FDA Chief Scientist Denise Hinton wrote in the approval letter.
“When used under the conditions described in this authorization, the known and potential benefits of chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine sulfate when used to treat COVID-19 outweigh the known and potential risks of such products.”
President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted the anti-malaria drugs as a possible treatment for the illness.Whitmer’s about-face comes after she claimed, without evidence, that vendors were being told not to supply medical equipment to Michigan after Trump criticized her handling of the outbreak in her state.
“When the federal government told us that we needed to go it ourself, we started procuring every item we get our hands-on. But what I’ve gotten back is that vendors with whom we’ve procured contracts are now being told not to send stuff here to Michigan. It’s really concerning,” she told WWJ News Radio on Friday.
President Trumpp has criticized Gov> Whitmer during the coronavirus pandemic for how she was reacting to the situation brewing in her state.
President Trump tweeted earlier this week his opinion of Gov. Whitmer’s performance. President Trump tweeted “I love Michigan, one of the reasons we are doing such a GREAT job for them during this horrible Pandemic. Yet your Governor, Gretchen “Half” Whitmer is way in over her head, she doesn’t have a clue. Likes blaming everyone for her own ineptitude! #MAGA”.
I love Michigan, one of the reasons we are doing such a GREAT job for them during this horrible Pandemic. Yet your Governor, Gretchen “Half” Whitmer is way in over her head, she doesn’t have a clue. Likes blaming everyone for her own ineptitude! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2020
After Gov. Whitmer’s press confernce on Monday she has not only started working to obtain Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, she has also reportedly recieved 400 ventilators from the federal government.
The President addressed the situation in Michigan briefly at the White House during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing.
“I just spoke with governor of Michigan, had a great conversation and we sent a large number of ventilators to Michigan,” said the President, verifying the good news for Michigan.
Michigan has reported 7,615 cases of the coronavirus in their state, and 259 deaths.
