On October 2, 2020, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) stated in a post on their website:
The number of studies on hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has reached 126, with 76 peer-reviewed. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that early treatment is likely to be effective, while late treatment is much less likely to help. Early treatment is also likely to reduce the period of infectiousness.
Thousands of physicians worldwide are using HCQ with zinc and azithromycin or doxycycline, and are reporting excellent results. Nations where HCQ is widely and freely used have a death rate 73 percent lower than nations such as the U.S. in which its use is discouraged or restricted.
Adequate levels of vitamin D and zinc are critical for resisting viral infections, notes AAPS. A number of other treatments including ivermectin and corticosteroids are also showing great promise.
HCQ in an appropriate dose is one of the world’s safest medicines, safer than most drugs available over the counter, AAPS points out, as shown by more than 65 years of use in hundreds of millions of patients.
https://aapsonline.org/aaps-urges-president-and-first-lady-to-protect-nation-with-early-treatment-for-covid-19/
This represents AAPS’ long history of supporting and defending medical ethics, and putting patients first. In 1990, they adopted the Patients’ Freedoms to guide their work.
PATIENTS’ FREEDOMS
Patients have the freedom:
To seek consultation with the physician of their choice;
To contract with their physicians on mutually agreeable terms;
To use their own resources to purchase the care of their choice;
To refuse medical treatment even if it is recommended by their physician;
To be informed about their medical condition, the risks and benefits of treatment, and appropriate alternatives;
To be treated confidentially, with access to their records limited to those involved in their care or designated by the patient, except as necessary to protect other persons from significant danger;
To refuse third-party interference in their medical care, and to be confident that their actions in seeking or declining medical care will not result in third-party-imposed penalties for patient or physician or any other party; and
To seek consultation with the physician of their choice;
To contract with their physicians on mutually agreeable terms;
To use their own resources to purchase the care of their choice;
To refuse medical treatment even if it is recommended by their physician;
To be informed about their medical condition, the risks and benefits of treatment, and appropriate alternatives;
To be treated confidentially, with access to their records limited to those involved in their care or designated by the patient, except as necessary to protect other persons from significant danger;
To refuse third-party interference in their medical care, and to be confident that their actions in seeking or declining medical care will not result in third-party-imposed penalties for patient or physician or any other party; and
To seek redress through the courts, including a jury trial, in the event of injuries resulting from negligence.
