Local doctor sees success treating COVID-19 patients with ‘HCQ cocktail’

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY)-Dr. George Fareed finds success in treating coronavirus patients with a combination of a hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) cocktail made out of azithromycin or doxycycline and zinc.

For three months now, Dr. Fareed has been using the HCQ cocktail to treat patients at Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District and an outpatient clinic in Brawley.

"Hydroxychloroquine along with zinc and either azithromycin or doxycycline and it's based upon now many studies from colleagues around the world. It's shown to be an effective treatment and that’s what we need," said Dr. George Fareed, physician.

Saving many lives who have been hit with the virus, Fareed says it’s all thanks to the combination cocktail he’s prescribed to patients.

The uses of hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus has sparked national debate after studies have claimed that using it can lead to serious side effects. The FDA has also warned against its use, but Fareed says it’s a drug that doctors have been using for years to treat malaria, lupus, and arthritis.

“We need to alleviate the fear in the population that they should know that they can take something that will help them avoid pneumonia and deterioration that we want to see stopped. I work at Pioneers hospital and as an outpatient medical director. We’ve seen thousands of patients and our results have been very favorable," said Fareed.

Fareed has written a letter to president Trump and the presidential task force saying we need a drastic shift in our approach in fighting the virus.

Presenting his findings and of his colleagues who have found success treating patients with the hydroxychloroquine cocktail.

Fareed believes the HCQ cocktail is the answer in helping fight the virus.

“We are not following what’s been successful in other countries where the hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin zinc has been effective in reducing mortality," said Fareed.

"The perfect candidate is an individual who’s symptomatic and has recently been infected and the best candidates of course are high-risk patients," said Fareed.

In the U.S. , remdesivir has been the treatment of choice for COVID-19.

Fareed says he’s seen great success with hydroxychloroquine and will continue to advocate for its use in treating coronavirus patients.