When Kevin Stitt said he was going to run Oklahoma like a business, I never thought he meant we'd be venturing into the pharmaceutical sales business.
Yesterday, News 9 announced that the Oklahoma Department of Health is looking to sell Kevin Stitt's $2-million stockpile of hydroxychloroquine – a malaria drug that, like any good snake oil being peddled by a spray-tanned conman, is being touted by some as a miracle cure for the Coronavirus.
Via News 9:
The State Department of the Health said it's now working to sell its stockpile of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine.
Earlier this month, the FDA pulled the emergency use of the drug to fight COVID-19.
Boy, I can't wait to see those commercials on TV!
SALE-SALE-SALE NOOOOOOOOOOOW – at Oklahoma Discount Pharmaceuticals! We got hydroxychloroquine tablets 199.99!!! 199.99!!! 199.99!!! SALE-SALE-SALE NOOOOOOOOOOOW – at Oklahoma Discount Pharmaceuticals! Threegreatlocations
At this point in the story, you'd think News 9 would interview a physician from a local hospital about hydroxychloroquine, explain why it's not an effective treatment, and maybe dispel some of the myths about it. Yeah right. Instead, Mike Gundy's favorite local news channel gave Clay Bullard – Stitt's "medical consultant" who helped the state buy the $2-million worth of malaria drugs – a platform to spread bullshit. He's not a doctor, but he does have a PR degree from someplace called Bob Jones University:
Medical consultant Clay Bullard secured $2 million worth of medication at the Governor’s request.
Even though the FDA and doctors across the country concluded hydroxychloroquine wasn’t effective in fighting the virus, Bullard is still hearing from those wanting the medication.
“I get calls weekly from police officers, firefighters, emergency techs asking what doctors prescribe hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic because they are on the frontlines with patients every day,” Bullard said.
The member of the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision pointed to a half-dozen studies showing hydroxychloroquine is effective in treatment for COVID-19.
Bullard said the medication used daily by many lupus patients has fallen victim to politics.
“Right now, the negativity on hydroxychloroquine is to prove Donald Trump wrong,” Bullard said.
He is right about one thing. People do want to prove Donald Trump wrong...especially when he's pushing an ineffective treatment for a novel coronavirus!
Local doctors can still prescribe hydroxychloroquine off-brand to treat COVID-19.
Bullard said it’s not worth putting it out on the market now because the state will only receive pennies on the dollar in return.
The medical consultant to the Gov. Stitt thinks the state should consider it insurance if more research proves the drug is effective against COVID-19.
“It would be my advice to hold on to it for a little bit longer,” Bullard said.
I hate to say it, but I agree with Bullard! We should hold onto the stuff for a bit longer. At the very least, let's see what it's worth on the dark web. We could also have Kevin Stitt put his businessman skills to work, build a marketing plan and sell the stuff to consumers. I'd suggest some sort of pyramid scheme. Snake oil always sells well that way.
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