President Donald Trump wants to provide Americans with the most optimist view possible at his press briefings. (Others might call it bizarre, even delusional.)

Whatever you choose to believe, however, when it comes to medical information or drug treatment, do … not … listen to Trump. He is most definitely not a doctor.

If fact, do not listen to anyone who isn’t one of the nationally recognized experts leading the COVID-19 fight, like Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Trump spoke about chloroquine

Now a Valley man has died and his wife is seriously ill because they tried to mix up their own anti-coronavirus medication based on some of the stuff they’d heard on TV.

The couple are in their 60s. They took a chemical called chloroquine phosphate, an additive commonly used at aquariums to clean fish tanks. It was days after a news conference in which Trump spoke about chloroquine as possible a COVID-19 therapy.

The woman, whose husband died, told NBC News they mixed their own concoction because, "We were afraid of getting sick.”

She said within 20 minutes of taking the chemical they were "dizzy and hot."

Then she said, "I started vomiting. My husband started developing respiratory problems and wanted to hold my hand."

Now, to the rest of us, she says, "Be careful and call your doctor. This is a heartache I'll never get over."

Treatment is not based on a 'feeling'

Trump has been talking about chloroquine.

At a news briefing last week he said it showed “very, very encouraging early results” and said “we’re going to be able to make that drug available almost immediately.”

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn tried to tamp down the president’s enthusiasm, saying the drug would be available “in the setting of a clinical trial — a large, pragmatic clinical trial — to actually gather that information and answer the question that needs to be answered and — asked and answered.”

Trump said, “It may work, it may not work. I feel good about it. That’s all it is. Just a feeling.”

Please, don’t risk your life over one of the president’s “feelings.”

Dr. Fauci, director of NIAID, said there is no proof yet that the drug is effective.

There are tests ongoing. Research labs and drug companies are working hard to find treatments.

When they know, we’ll know.

In the meantime, listen to the experts, the doctors, not …

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.