West, the former chair of the state Republican party, tweeted that his oxygen levels are low and he will likely be hospitalized, but says his condition is “not serious.”

HOUSTON – The Houston-area doctor featured in a controversial, viral video claiming anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, is a cure for COVID-19, offered to treat White House staff Friday after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump announced they had COVID-19. PREVIOUS INTERVIEW: Houston-area doctor in viral video touting hydroxychloroquine as virus cure doubles down on claims“This virus has a cure, it’s called hydroxychloroquine,” she said at the time. “Everyone in the White House get on HCQ twice a month. Everyone in the White House get on HCQ twice a month. Read the full memo tweeted by White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany below:Watch Immanuel’s full interview with KPRC 2 from July below and read the transcript here.

Dr. Immanuel passionately touted the positives she says she has seen surrounding the drug hydroxychloroquine. “We see patients day one. It is a cure,” she said,Dr. Joseph Varon is another Houston doctor that believes in the controversial drug, hydroxychloroquine. “I use it for every patient,” said Dr. Varone at his north Houston medical facility, United Memorial Medical Center. “It is a drug that has been politicized up the wazoo,” said Dr. Varon.

When is the last time he put a stethoscope on a patient’s [inaudible] and I’m willing to ask him that. I don’t know why people are getting crazy about this. I have the data, I’m going to publish it, but what would that do? They don’t know it. Joel: I don’t know.

(CNN) – The federal government is stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine now that the US Food and Drug Administration has revoked permission for the drug to be distributed to treat coronavirus patients. The government started stockpiling donated hydroxychloroquine in late March, after President Trump touted it as "very encouraging" and "very powerful" and a "game-changer." That leaves the Strategic National Stockpile with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine, plus another 2 million doses of chloroquine, a related drug donated by Bayer, according to Carol Danko, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services. Before the FDA revoked its authorization, the stockpile had already distributed 31 million doses. Novartis and Mylan donated doses of the drug to the stockpile.

HOUSTON – The Food and Drug Administration has revoked its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus. At Houston’s United Memorial Medical Center, dozens of COVID-19 patients have taken the drug, according to Dr. Joseph Varon, chief medical officer. “Hydroxychloroquine works,” Dr. Varon said. Dr. Varon believes the treatment is effective, as long as it’s given early to patients and they’re closely monitored in the hospital. By day four or day five, they really do better,” said Dr. Varon.

Leaders of a large study in the United Kingdom that is rigorously testing the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and other medicines for hospitalized COVID-19 patients say they will stop putting people on the drug because its clear it isnt helping. Results released Friday from 1,542 patients showed the drug did not reduce deaths, time in the hospital or other factors. The results convincingly rule out any meaningful mortality benefit, study leaders at the University of Oxford said in a statement. The Oxford study is the largest study so far to put hydroxychloroquine to a strict test. The World Health Organization is leading a similar study testing hydroxychloroquine and several other therapies versus standard of care.

The drug Hydroxychloroquine has not been proven to help with coronavirus. I'm not going to get hurt by it.”We put claims about Hydroxychloroquine through the Trust Index and found it’s not a proven treatment for the coronavirus. “I have declined to prescribe it for COVID19,” said Dr. Septimus. Not enough evidence to prove it helpsWhen it comes to this drug helping fight COVID-19, we rate it "red" on our Trust Index. Dr. Septimus said the only way he thinks it is safe to take this drug to treat coronavirus is in a highly controlled scenario, like a trial.

Trump said his doctor did not recommend the drug to him, but he requested it from the White House physician. The White House has since mandated that those in the West Wing wear face coverings and has introduced daily testing for the virus for the president, vice president and those they come in close contact with. White House officials did not say whether any other administration officials were also taking the drug. In April, the National Institutes of Health launched a study testing hydroxychloroquine versus a placebo drug in 500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Since then, millions of those tablets have been shipped to U.S. hospitals nationwide for use treating patients with COVID-19.

In the words of San Diego physician Jennings Staley, the drug hydroxychloroquine​, approved to treat conditions ranging from malaria to lupus, was "almost too good to be true." In reality, the man on the other end of the line was an undercover FBI agent conducting an investigation into possible health care fraud. In a follow-up call, the doctor allegedly told the undercover FBI agent he would also sell him Viagra and Xanax, a Category IV controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. According to the criminal complaint, the agents asked Staley if he had ever guaranteed his patients that hydroxychloroquine was a cure for Covid-19. ​The criminal complaint notes the drug hydroxychloroquine has received emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and may be effective in treating those with Covid-19.

HOUSTON – One of the drugs that are showing promise to treat coronavirus is one that many Americans already use every day for other ailments. While this drug could play a role in treating coronavirus patients, there are many people who depend on it beyond the virus. I’m concerned about the price going up and I’m concerned about its availability.”Wednesday, New York started doing hydroxychloroquine trials on coronavirus patients. Advice for people who take hydroxychloroquineThe Arthritis Foundation released a list of suggestions for patients who may be worried about a drug shortage. If you cannot get your hydroxychloroquine prescription filled, you can report it to the FDA at drugshortages@fda.hhs.govResearchers are also working on a possible Coronavirus vaccine.