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Detroit is leading the nation’s first large-scale study on whether hydroxychloroquine can prevent COVID-10.

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A ‘miracle cure’? Detroit is at the center of a nationwide debate about a potential coronavirus drug touted by Trump

Detroit’s former public health director Dr. Abdul El-Sayed weighed in on the debate around hydroxychloroq uine, an antimalarial drug that has been touted as a potential cure for coronavirus patients by P resident Donald Trump in recent weeks. Last week, officials announced Detroit’s H enry F ord H ealth System would conduct the nation’s first large-scale study of the drug.

El-Sayed cautioned that despite the drug’s promise, the science just isn’t there to back it up yet.

“The President’s promotion of #Hydroxycloroq uine shows a failure to understand science,” he tweeted Sunday evening. “In science we don’t promote a treatment until there’s solid, reproducible R C T [ randomiz ed controlled trial] evidence behind it. Without evidence, a treatment may be ineffective, even harmful.”

El-Sayed was referring to a Sunday White House press briefing in which Trump doubled down on his promotion of the drug. Without citing evidence,

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Trump said “there are signs that it works ... some very strong signs,” and claimed it could also be used as a preventive measure.

Then, when a C N N reporter asked the N ational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony F auci about the medical evidence for hydroxychloroq uine, Trump interrupted, refusing to let F auci answer.

“Do you know how many times he’s answered that q uestion? ” Trump cut in. “Maybe 1 5 .”

Trump even said he would take the drug himself.

“So, what do I know, I’m not a doctor. I’m not a doctor. But I have common sense,” he said, adding, “What really do we have to lose? ”

In another interview on Sunday, Fauci cautioned of the drug’s ability to fight coronavirus: “the data are really just suggestive.”

El-Sayed later appeared on C N N later to explain.

“Dr. Anthony F auci is a respected scientist, he will always lead with the science,” he said. “And the science shows that right now there’s mixed evidence, and none of that is all that promising, particularly considering that the gold standard kind of test that you’re looking for is a randomiz ed control trial. And that evidence just hasn’t panned out.”

El-Sayed added that there was a “fissure” between Trump and Fauci’s messages.

“On the other hand, you’ve got President Trump, who, from the beginning, has been leading with a short-term political perspective,” he said. “And his short-term political perspective is that he’s looking for any ounce of hope, even if it’s false hope, that he can throw out there. And so I think, unfortunately, we’re starting to see a little bit of a fissure where the president continues to want to go back and say, ‘Look, we’ve got this drug’ — and he’s not saying this, but he’s hinting — ‘Look, there’s a miracle cure. It’s just around the corner.’ And Dr. Fauci is just saying, ‘Look, there’s a process that we follow, by which we decide if and when there is a medication that is safe and effective in patients.’ Let’s not give people false hope. Let’s always lead with the science. And when we lead with the science, what we say will be true.”

H ydroxychloroq uine has become the center of a political storm in Michigan. In March, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration issued a letter to doctors threatening “administrative action” if they prescribed the drug to coronavirus patients. M etr o T im es’ comments section trolls accused the Democratic governor of opposing the drug simply to spite Trump and endangering lives, but R epublican State Sen. Mike Shirkey later clarified to T h e Detr oit N ew s that the prohibition was to prevent doctors from hoarding the drug and depriving it from non-C O V ID-1 9 patients, who need it to treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other ailments.

At the news briefing, Trump also falsely said the F ood and Drug Administration “gave it a rapid approval.” In fact, the F DA issued a limited Emergency U se Authoriz ation for hydroxychloroq uine to be distributed from its stockpiles, but warned that it “is not F DA-approved for treatment of C O V ID-1 9 .”

In a bit of a reversal, last week, officials announced that Detroit is now leading the nation’s first large-scale test of the drug for coronavirus patients. At H enry F ord H ealth Systems, more than 3 ,0 0 0 volunteer frontline hospital workers are being asked to take the drug to see if it can be used as a preventive measure for C O V ID-1 9 , the disease caused by the coronavirus.

“I think that there is some great potential here amidst all of the sadness and hardship that we’re going through right now,” Whitmer said during a town hall last week. But as Whitmer’s former gubernatorial rival El-Sayed cautioned, until the trial is over, we can’t say for sure. F or example, he tweeted, “Aspirin is a safe drug—EXCEPT FOR IN KIDS W/ F EV ER S, in whom it was used for a long time because we ASSU MED it was so safe,” he wrote. “It’s why we have to STU DY it.”

In another tweet, El-Sayed was more blunt.

“’Is #Hydroxychloroquine a safe & effective #COVID19 treatment?’ isn’t a *political* question — it’s a SCIENTIFIC one,” he tweeted. “The answer: WE JUST DON’T KNOW YET. ANY other answer is political spin — which has been the problem w/ the #COVID response all along. You can’t spin science.”

NEWS & VIEWS Virus on the mind How to stay sane during a global pandemic

B y B ib a A d a m s

Grief. Depression. Fear. Anger.

The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically impacted and changed all of our lives forever. During this, the worst time that many of us have ever lived through, how can we make sense of it all?

Detroit mental health professionals have some advice for us.

“I know several people, myself included, who are doing this alone,” says C aleb S. B oswell, a limited licensed professional counselor and student advisor in the Office of Counseling and C areer P lanning at Washtenaw C ommunity C ollege. “The weather is gloomy, and that can heighten things like anxiety and depression. It’s important that we try to stay connected to our circle through phone, email, and F aceTime. We may be physically isolated, but it is important not to become mentally isolated.”

B oswell’s passion for mental health has led him to do social media presentations about the benefits of therapy, using the hashtag # TherapyIsN ormal. H e’s also the facilitator for the college’s B rother 2 B rother program, which helps support underrepresented men on the campus. As C O V ID-1 9 ravages low-income, minority populations ȋsee this week’s cover storyȌ, he offers special advice for B lack men.

“Sometimes we often don’t feel that we have the space to be vulnerable and open, oftentimes turning to sex, alcohol, drugs, and other negative coping mechanisms,” he says. “H owever, these times are uniq ue, and I would honestly say that there is an opportunity here to find at least one person that you can simply talk to and be open with.”

Journaling is also a common recommendation among therapists. If you can’t find someone that you feel comfortable talking to, writing down feelings is a way of getting those emotions out.

P hysical activity has long been linked to a healthier mental state — which can be hard to accomplish now, since we’re supposed to be staying home to prevent the spread of the virus. B ut Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order calling for Michiganders to stay home allows for people to go outside for exercise — just be sure to stay six feet away from other people. Therapists recommend 3 0 minutes of activity every day: walking, dancing, going up and down the stairs. According to P s y c h ol og y T od a y, exercise is well-known to stimulate the body to produce endorphins and enkephalins, the body’s natural feelgood hormones that can make problems seem more manageable.

Spiritual practice can also be useful. While churches are exempt from Whitmer’s executive order banning large gatherings (which have drawn criticism by some for being dangerous and, perhaps, unconstitutional), some might not want to go to church during the pandemic. “Watching YouTube videos of faith leaders can also be helpful,” says R ev. Dawn C lark of DC C C ounseling and C onsulting, LLC , an associate minister at N ew Liberty B aptist C hurch in Detroit. B ut faith, or lack thereof, is a very personal thing. “Do the things that bring you comfort, and a little bit of joy,” she says.

The financial toll of COVID-19 is obvious. Last week, more than 6 million people filed for unemployment, doubling the record high of 3 million the week before. “F inances can be mentally challenging, even without something like this,” says C lark. “R each out to your bank and creditors and let them know your current financial situation.”

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C lark says that it’s important in these times, when our normal routines have been upended, to try to stick to a schedule that’s close to what it used to be.

“Waking up around the same time as before can be helpful, setting small goals to achieve throughout the day,” she explains. “We may have a lot more free time now. Setting a goal of just cleaning a cabinet or closet or working on a business plan can help the time pass and fill us with a sense of achievement.”

While it’s smart to set small goals, it’s also O K to rest and not feel the need to do much at all. Moderation in all things remains important — and that includes substances like alcohol. Whitmer’s executive order banning all but “essential” businesses allows liq uor stores to remain open, and the temptation to cope with alcohol can be strong for many.

“During this pandemic, so many of us are feeling anxious, afraid, depressed or isolated,” says Stephanie M. H uhn, an admissions manager at R ainbow R ehabilitation C enters in metro Detroit. “F or those in recovery and those struggling with addiction, maintaining sobriety during this time can be a huge challenge, as they have often turned to substances (or addictive behaviors) in the past to escape from these feelings of unease.” H uhn says that the normal ways of comforting ourselves have been lost during this crisis.

“We are all experiencing a massive change in our day-to-day routines and our sense of normal has been shattered in many ways,” she says. “This can be very disorienting and cause feelings of fear, panic, loss, and depression. Some people are feeling overwhelmed with new responsibilities, such as working from home and home schooling their young children, while others have lost many things that are important to them, such as their jobs, their routines, their sense of purpose, and their sense of self.”

H uhn explains that, more than anything, it’s important to remain hopeful. There are many available options for support, connection, and overall health and well-being.

Stay connected, reach out, and ask for help when you need it. Though we have to be isolated to stop the virus from spreading, that doesn’t mean we have to be isolated from each other emotionally. If you’re starting to feel depressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, reach out for help.

F or those facing struggles with addiction or maintaining sobriety, the Substance Abuse and Mental H ealth Services Administration (SAMH SA) has a free, confidential hotline you can call 2 4 /7 for referrals, support, and resources: 1 -8 0 0 -6 6 2 -H ELP .

C ommon Ground R esource and C risis C enter is another resource where people can call in, text, or chat online with a therapist: 8 0 0 -2 3 1 -1 1 2 7 ; commongroundhelps.org

The Detroit Wayne Mental H ealth Authority is also a free resource for referrals to a mental health professional: 7 0 7 W. Milwaukee St., Detroit; 3 1 3 -8 3 3 - 2 5 0 0 ; dwihn.org.