Dr. William Haseltine, a biologist and former Harvard Medical School professor, warned Americans against using much-hyped malarial drugs to fight the coronavirus on Fox News, Monday, describing it as a “quack cure” which could have fatal side effects.

On Dana Perino’s The Daily Briefing, Haseltine was asked about hydroxychloroquine, the drug touted by President Donald Trump and his media supporters.

“It’s sad to me that people are promoting that drug. We know already from studies at best it will have a very mild effect. At very best,” Haseltine said.

Haseltine explained that one study “concludes it has no effect,” and another “concludes it has a mild effect,” before claiming, “The net result is that whatever effect it has it will be very mild. That drug has been used for years against many other viruses to no effect.”

“The thing that makes me sad about that story is some people may take it who are on other medications or have other underlying conditions and may have very serious, even life threatening consequences,” he warned. “It is not something to take unless a doctor prescribes it.”

Perino — who has not herself promoted the drug — pointed out that “there are stories of people saying that they’ve had this Lazarus effect by using this drug,”

Haseltine replied, “That is nonsense. Complete and utter nonsense. And in any situation there are always going to be people who promote one kind of quack cure or another and there are Lazarus effects. In every epidemic I’ve ever looked at it’s always the case.”

“Let me just repeat: we know that at very best this drug will have a very mild effect on changing the course of the disease if it has any effect at all. That is what the data has shown so far and I’m convinced that that is what other studies will show,” Haseltine declared. “And it’s not without adverse consequence. It is irresponsible to promote this drug at this time… People don’t want to hear that, but it’s unfortunately the case. I wish we had more hope.”

Watch above via Fox News.

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