HOUSTON – The Houston-area doctor featured in a controversial, viral video claiming an anti-malarial drug is a cure for COVID-19 is sharing her side of the story with KPRC 2 Investigates.
“This virus has a cure, it’s called hydroxychloroquine,” claimed Dr. Stella Immanuel at a press conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday.
But that bold proclamation goes against what the World Health Organization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and most medical experts say about the drug.
“No, it is not a cure for COVID, it’s not a preventable for COVID,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health added, “the overwhelming, prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it’s not effective in coronavirus disease.”
Immanuel, who was born in southern Cameroon, runs Rehoboth Medical Center off Highway 6.
“Yes, it eradicates the virus,” she said. “We see patients day one and put them on hydroxychloroquine [and by] day ten, they test negative. It is a cure. I don’t know why people are getting crazy about this.”
What about those who say she’s dangerous?
“They think I’m dangerous because I’m speaking the truth,” she said.
During Monday’s press conference, she appeared with a group that calls itself America’s Frontline Doctors, and each member is determined to change minds about hydroxychloroquine. Among them was another Houston doctor.
“It’s almost vitamin-like in some sense,” said Dr. Richard Urso, an ophthalmologist at Houston Eye Associates. “It’s an incredibly safe drug. Safer than Tylenol, that’s for sure.”
President Donald Trump also praised Immanuel for endorsing the drug.
But the consensus among the worldwide medical community is that there is currently no cure for COVID-19.
Some of her other beliefs are under scrutiny as well.
Immanuel is also a minister with a different view than most people are used to — including demons sleeping with people. But she is unyielding.
“I’m not going to be stop, not be silenced,” she said. “I’m a warrior, sniper in the kingdom of God.”
