Author Howard Weiner

FDA Research The FDA is sponsoring ongoing human drug trials each with a rigorous research methodology to test the efficacy, recommended dosage, and possible toxicity of chloroquine. These studies do take time to conduct, analyze, and report. We are likely many weeks, if not months, away from the results and recommendations. The Analog of Tamiflu Tamiflu is an influenza antiviral medication. If taken early in the infection, Tamiflu disrupts the flu virus’ replication process, lowers the viral load in the body, and reduces the severity and duration of a patient’s illness. Tamiflu must be taken early in a patient’s illness to have a significant beneficial effect. The same would be true of chloroquine with zinc, if it functions as some believe (but not yet confirmed). Therein is the rub. Remember, some of those infected with the coronavirus are asymptomatic. They may not even know they are ill. Still others suffer only mild symptoms and may confuse their illness with ...

Let’s face it. Public Health centered testing for the coronavirus has been a rolling disaster that is slow to improve in the U.S. Testing may improve with the passage of time although at this rate the value of testing will have disappeared entirely. So, for now we’re flying blind.  No one really knows when the virus landed in the U.S. or how widespread the virus was and is now today. Some of those infected are spreading the coronavirus  without  themselves showing any symptoms. Truth-be-told, if I’m right about my own health, I may have unintentionally spread the coronavirus myself ( here ). Trending Warmer, Hotter HOWEVER, Kinsa Health, a private sector digital thermometer company ( here ), is collecting and reporting body temperature across the country ( here ). I won’t bore you with the details of their data collection and algorithms ( here ).  But the map below reports on counties and regions across the country where body temperature is higher t...

Really? Why is it the strongest, loudest advocates of unproven, proposed drug therapies are never the first in line for a trial or study? The president is telling the nation, “What do you have to lose? Take it” ( here ). Even Dr. Hannity, prescribing for only himself said, “I would based on all I know, Dr. Hannity for Dr. Hannity, I'm my only patient, I would absolutely use it if I got this” ( here ). And known truth teller and sage for the ages, Rudy Gulliani, retweeted a conservative activist’s view, “who falsely called hydroxychloroquine 100% effective at treating COVID-19” ( here ). Who doesn’t hope hydroxychloroquine works. The drug is here now. Those most seriously affected by the coronavirus, hospitalized and especially those on ventilators, could be pulled back from the brink—if the drug works. And therein lies the question: Does hydroxychloroquine reduce the adverse effects of the coronavirus?  The gold standard for answering this question has always been a ...

web site: https://bit.ly/346cb4W A piece of conjecture on My Part: We’ve Done COVID-19 ALL Wrong. Let me explain: On the morning of November 24 th , I walked the one plus mile to the gym. As I walked, I experienced a tightness in my upper chest, like someone tightened a belt around my upper torso. The tightness didn’t impede my breathing. My Apple Watch reported my vital signs were well within my normal limits. I wasn’t perspiring profusely. I wasn’t nauseous. In short, nothing suggested a coronary event. At the gym, I queued up a 30-minute low impact ride on the Peloton app, and I rode without issue until the nine-minute mark. My breathing was normal. My pulse normal. But the tightness continued, and I finally did the  almost  smart thing: I stopped and walked back home. Once home I took two Tylenol. Within minutes, the tightness in my chest disappeared. Within an hour, however, I had new symptoms: body aches, slight temperature, and periods of chills...

I was also hidden away from home for six days following my prostate biopsy ( here ). But there was a three-day period starting Tuesday, March 3 rd , when I foraged in public: Albertsons and Costco. Three days of freedom before the self-imposed lockdown started on Friday, March 6 th . Why Did I Self-Quarantine? The results of my biopsy weren’t available until March 13 th . Until then, I believed I had prostate cancer. If you’re 70 and have an underlying health issue, like cancer, you’re advised ( here  and  here ) to withdraw from life. Don’t go on long trips. Avoid air travel. Have your groceries and meals delivered. Since my biopsy results were negative, I’m only at risk due to my age. Who says going to the gym three to seven days a week for 53 years doesn’t produce benefits? Our Planned Trip to Princeville in Kuai, HI We were supposed to travel by air from Las Vegas to Lihue on Kauai this past Saturday, March 21 st . United recently revised its travel policy...

Like most men of a certain age, my bi-annual physical/wellness encounter with my primary care physician includes a PSA blood draw. In 2015, I was 65 and my PSA test score was 6 when the normal range for a man of that age is 0 to 4.5. The digital rectal exam (DRE) was negative. Two years later, my PSA score rose to 9 which was twice as high as the top end of the normal range. Again, the DRE was negative. My primary care physician suggested a prostate biopsy. At the time, a typical transrectal prostate biopsy was administered in a medical office with a urologist administering a local anesthetic and light sedative. Discussions and reports of this procedure describe discomfort with uneven reports on experienced pain levels. The biopsy site is directed through a sonogram that guides the urologist’s procedure. There are limitations to this approach ( here ). First, the sonogram has to show a promising biopsy site on the prostate. Second, there can be some post procedure rectal b...

“This is no worse than the flu. All of this nonsense about social distancing and self-quarantine is just that: nonsense.” I’m reading and hearing this a lot. And from very educated people no less. We have what’s known as “Herd Immunity” for influenza  but not COVID 19 . Even though the strains of the flu prevalent each year may differ, survivors have antibodies from prior years which can limit the severity of the flu. No one in the U.S. has any immunity for COVID 19  this year . Next year will be a different matter. Influenza vaccine was first successfully trial tested in 1938. Before that date there was no vaccine. Before 1938, there were no anti-viral medications a physician could subscribe to lessen the flu’s effects and possibly shorten the length of the illness. There was, however, Vicks Croup and Pneumonia Salve from the 1890’s. In 1919, Vicks added their Vaporub. And, finally, in 1931, Vicks added their cough drops. So, if you were brought low by the flu in...