Internet Searches for Unproven COVID-19 Therapies in the United States
Michael Liu, AB1; Theodore L. Caputi, MPH2; Mark Dredze, PhD3; et alAaron S. Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH4; John W. Ayers, PhD, MA5
Author Affiliations Article Information
JAMA Intern Med. Published online April 29, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.1764
There are no highly effective prescription drug therapies supported by any reliable evidence for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. However, fears among the public can lead to searches for unproven therapies. Therefore, when several high-profile figures, including entrepreneur Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, endorsed the use of chloroquine, a malarial prophylaxis drug, and hydroxychloroquine (with the antibiotic azithromycin), a lupus and rheumatoid arthritis treatment, to treat COVID-19, it drew massive public attention that could shape individual decision-making.