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A26 U.S. NEWS
Monday 11 May 2020
Schumer calls on VA to explain use of unproven drug on vets

By HOPE YEN and experiment. Researchers
MICHAEL BALSAMO analyzed medical records
Associated Press of 368 older male veterans
WASHINGTON (AP) — The hospitalized with confirmed
Senate's top Democrat coronavirus infection at VA
on Sunday called on the medical centers who died
Department of Veterans or were discharged by April
Affairs to explain why it al- 11. The VA recently said
lowed the use of an un- most of its recent bulk or-
proven drug on veterans der for hydroxychloroquine
for the coronavirus, saying was being used for ap-
patients may have been proved uses, such as treat-
put at unnecessary risk. ing lupus and rheumatoid
Sen. Charles Schumer arthritis, but it didn't provide
of New York said the VA breakdowns.
needs to provide Congress Wilkie in recent weeks took
more information about advocacy of the drug
a recent bulk order for even further than Trump
$208,000 worth of hydroxy- by claiming without evi-
chloroquine. President dence that it has been
Donald Trump has heav- effective for young and
ily promoted the malaria middle-aged veterans in
drug, without evidence, as particular. In fact, there
a treatment for COVID-19. President Donald Trump watches as Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie walks away after is no published evidence
Schumer's request comes speaking about protecting seniors, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 30, 2020, showing that. Veterans
after a whistleblower com- in Washington. Associated Press are "very concerned that
plaint filed this past week we still do not have clarity
by former Health and Hu- peatedly pushed publicly best medical interests of doctors were given guid- on the VA's past and pres-
man Services official Rick by Trump, VA Secretary patients." ance by VA headquarters ent use of hydroxychloro-
Bright alleged that the Robert Wilkie must address "VA only permits use of the on specific scenarios when quine in treating veterans
Trump administration, ea- whether anyone at the de- drug after ensuring vet- it should be used. with COVID-19," Jeremy
ger for a quick fix to the partment was pressured by erans and caretakers are In a weekly call with veter- Butler, chief executive of-
onslaught of the coronavi- the White House or the ad- aware of potential risks ans' groups this past week, ficer of Iraq and Afghani-
rus, wanted to "flood" hot ministration to use hydroxy- associated with it, as we Wilkie continued to defend stan Veterans of America,
spots in New York and New chloroquine for COVID-19. do with any other drug or VA's use of hydroxychloro- told the AP. "Now that the
Jersey with the drug. Ma- Schumer said Wilkie also treatment," she said. quine. He dismissed the re- federal government issued
jor veterans organizations should answer questions Wilkie in recent weeks has cent analysis of VA hospital an emergency use autho-
have urged VA to explain about a recent analysis denied that veterans were data showing no benefits rization for remdesivir to
under what circumstances of VA hospital data that used as test subjects for to patients, suggesting the treat COVID-19, we need
VA doctors initiate discus- showed there were more the drug and that it was poor outcomes were be- answers to these questions
sion of hydroxychloroquine deaths among patients instead administered at cause the cases involved as well as the VA's plans
with veterans as a treat- given hydroxychloroquine government-run VA hospi- older, very sick veterans. for administering, or not
ment option. versus standard care, in- tals only when medically "Use of this medication for administering, remdesivir,"
"There are concerns that cluding how much patients appropriate, with mutual treatment of COVID-19 is he said. That action by the
they are using this drug knew about the drug's risks consent between doctor considered 'off label' — Food and Drug Administra-
when the medical evi- before taking it. and patient. perfectly legal and not tion came after preliminary
dence says it doesn't help In a statement Sunday, VA Still, Wilkie and the depart- rare," he wrote in an April 29 results from a government-
and could hurt," Schumer spokeswoman Christina ment have repeatedly de- letter to veterans' groups. sponsored study showed
said in an interview with The Noel called it "preposter- clined to say how widely The analysis of hospital that remdesivir shortened
Associated Press. ous" for anyone to suggest the drug was being used for data, done by indepen- the time to recovery by
He said given the fact the that VA would make treat- COVID-19, including how dent researchers at two 31%, or about four days on
malaria drug, despite be- ment decisions based on many veterans were given universities with VA ap- average, for hospitalized
ing untested, had been re- anything other than "the the drug, and whether VA proval, was not a rigorous COVID-19 patients.q

Coast Guard taps cellphone location data to speed searches

BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard is tap- the first to test the system last year and it ex- The system doesn't take the place of a VHF ra-
ping into cellphone location data to quickly panded on March 20 to the rest of the service. dio, which remains the best way of communi-
locate distressed boaters. The i911 program requires someone who's in cating in an emergency, she said. The system
The voluntary i911 program lets the Coast need of help to provide a phone number, said only works if mariners have enabled the loca-
Guard access mariners' cellphone locations Coast Guard Petty Officer Nicole Groll. Then tion services on their phones, the Coast Guard
to help rescue crews find them faster. The soft- the mariner — whether a kayaker or commer- said.
ware is a free service for all first responders, in- cial fishermen — receives a text message to Depending on the cellphone service, i911 can
cluding the Coast Guard. authorize sharing the phone's GPS location determine locations of distressed mariners
"It greatly decreases the time we spend look- services with the Coast Guard. Once that step from up to 15 to 20 nautical miles (28 to 37 ki-
ing for someone and gets the rescue crews is completed, the Coast Guard can access lometers) offshore.
out faster," said Chief Petty Officer Andrew detailed information to narrow a search. During the pilot period, more than 38,000
Case from the Coast Guard center in Woods "Now we know where you are and we can search and rescues across the contiguous
Hole, Massachusetts. send our rescue services directly to you," Groll United States were analyzed, and 89% took
The Coast Guard center in the Northeast was said from Boston. place within 20 nautical miles of shore.q