The White House teams up with Oracle to promote malaria drugs to treat Covid-19, even though....

[steve2470]

The White House teams up with Oracle to promote malaria drugs to treat Covid-19, even though the drugs have not yet been approved for that use.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/world/coronavirus-updates-maps.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage

The White House is partnering with the computer technology giant Oracle to promote a pair of malaria drugs that President Trump has touted in recent days to treat the coronavirus, even before the government approves their use for the outbreak, according to five senior administration officials and others familiar with the plans.

An online platform designed by Oracle, in collaboration with the White House, is still taking shape. The president’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as well as federal health agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration, are also involved, according to two senior administration officials.

Two senior administration officials familiar with the planning say the technology effort could collect data from physicians who prescribe the drugs, chloroquine and a related drug, hydroxychloroquine, and track patient symptoms. One senior official said planners had also discussed using the platform to mail the drugs to patients involved in the trial.

The project could be announced as early as Tuesday afternoon. Both drugs are being studied for their effectiveness in treating the virus, but health officials such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have warned there is only anecdotal evidence that the drugs may be effective.

Such a waste of time. At least one guy has already died from this.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. "Only I can fix it."

Now Trump -- the stable genius -- is taking on the role of the FDA, testing unproven drugs using protocols that he makes up.

[rufus dog]

2. Oracle as a company SUCKS!

Ellison is a arrogant prick. They treat their customers like shit. Organization filled with scum sales people who care about nothing other than making commission.

In other words, a perfect match for tRump.

[Cerridwen]

3. "Meet the rightwing power players lurking beneath Silicon Valley's liberal facade"

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/feb/10/silicon-valley-right-wing-donald-trump-peter-thiel

Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco
Fri 10 Feb 2017 05.00 EST
Last modified on Thu 5 Jul 2018 16.52 EDT

Meet the rightwing power players lurking beneath Silicon Valley's liberal facade

Despite promoting an image of innovative iconoclasm, outside the spotlight a cadre of powerful tech figures are planting themselves in Trump’s corner

<snip>

Other tech leaders, such as Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Intel’s Craig Barrett, Dell’s Michael Dell and AOL’s Tim Armstrong, have been major donors to the GOP, while HP’s Carly Fiorina and eBay’s Meg Whitman have both run (unsuccessfully) for elected office as Republicans. Intel’s current CEO, Brian Krzanich, appeared at the White House with Trump on Wednesday to announce the construction of a factory that had previously been announced alongside Barack Obama in 2011.

<snip>

Other rightwing associates – including Jim O’Neill, Kevin Harrington, Trae Stephens, Blake Masters, and Rob Morrow – are connected to the Thiel club through working for his various investment companies: Clarium Capital, Thiel Capital, Mithril Capital Management, Thiel Macro, and Founders Fund. Rob Morrow, who Politico described as Thiel’s “political consigliere”, is a longtime employee of the Thiel investment firms.

<snip>

Woolway and Harrington joined the Trump transition team in early December. Lonsdale and Masters were also advising Thiel on the transition, according to Politico, and Abraham expressed interest in joining the administration to the Washington Post. Musk is a member of Trump’s economic advisory council who remained committed to engaging with the administration despite a significant backlash that prompted Uber’s CEO, Travis Kalanick, to drop out.

O’Neil has been floated as a possible head of the Food and Drug Administration, where he could bring his enthusiasm for cutting regulation to the agency that ensures drugs like thalidomide are not approved in the US.

<snip>

[intrepidity]

4. I swear, he took this drug

No other explanation. None

[andym]

5. Easy win for Trump

If the drug works--and it could based on early data-- then he touts his "curing" the disease and saving lives. If not, no further mention and it is forgotten in the next news cycle..

[jeffreyi]

6. How about tests?

[padah513]

7. How is Oracle's stock doing today?

A little market manipulation perhaps?

[sinkingfeeling]

8. They smell dollars. Millions of dollars.