Fauci skeptical of Trump's confidence in malaria drug to treat coronavirus

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By Donna Baeck

Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed his concerns about a malaria drug that Trump said could be highly effective in treating the coronavirus during a White House briefing on Friday, according to ABC News.

Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said there is no scientific evidence that the malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine, could be effective in treating the coronavirus. Fauci casted doubt on Trump's claims as he stood next to him on stage during the briefing, said ABC News.

"The information that you're referring to specifically is anecdotal," Fauci told U.S. News. "It was not done in a clinically controlled trial, so you really can't make any definitive statement about it."

Trump previously said on Thursday the malaria drug could be a "game changer". No drug has been approved to treat the coronavirus and it could take a year to develop a vaccine, according to ABC News.

Americans were presented with conflicting information at the two-day White House briefing.

Fauci previously said a vaccine could still take a year to 18 months to develop during the speedy process. Trump told a political rally a vaccine would be available "relatively soon", according to U.S. News.

"The president is talking about hope for people and it's not an unreasonable thing," Fauci said. I've got to do my job as a scientist and others have other things to do."






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