Fox News host Neil Cavuto criticized hydroxychloroquine, a drug that isn’t proven to prevent COVID-19, that President Donald Trump said he is taking. Cavuto made his comments after being criticized from the president earlier this week.
On his FNC show, Cavuto said, “The president revisiting an issue that touched a lot of controversy with yesterday that the use of hydroxychloroquine saying that I was not fairly characterizing it. What has not been misinterpreted is that there have been at least four prominent studies on the use of hydroxychloroquine for other issues beyond lupus and malaria for which it is more popularly used and for which there is not been any noteworthy problems. The issue is whether it is advisable to take to ward off Covid-19.”
He continued, “As a preventative, when the Food and Drug Administration is saying is not advisable — out of clinical trial basis, it is risky to do — that should suffice the argument right there.”
Trump told reporters on Monday that he has been taking the drug for the last week-and-a-half and that he “feels fine.”
After the president made the comments, Cavuto remarked, “That was stunning. … Whatever benefit the president says this has — and certainly has had for those suffering from malaria, dealing with lupus — this is a leap that should not be taken casually by those watching at home or assuming, ‘well, the President of the United States says it’s okay.'”
Fox News’ Cavuto warns audience after Trump reveals he’s taking hydroxychloroquine:
“If you are in a risky population here, and you are taking this as a preventative treatment […] it will kill you. I cannot stress this enough. This will kill you.” pic.twitter.com/gvRtdwby1t [1]
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 18, 2020 [2]
Trump was quick to lash out at the host on Twitter.
.@FoxNews [3] is no longer the same. We miss the great Roger Ailes. You have more anti-Trump people, by far, than ever before. Looking for a new outlet! https://t.co/jXxsF0flUM [4]
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 19, 2020 [5]
The president has been increasingly critical of the network over the past few years.
This piece was written by Objectivist Staff on May 20, 2020. It originally appeared in Objectivist.co [6] and is used by permission.