Economy

Brazilian HMO used patients as hydroxychloroquine guinea pigs

Prevent Senior omitted deaths of Covid-19 patients who were given hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin during shady tests

prevent senior chloroquine
Photo: Roberto Casimiro /Fotoarena/Folhapress

Health insurance company Prevent Senior omitted deaths of patients from Covid-19 who were given hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as part of government-commissioned research to verify the drugs’ efficacy against the disease, according to documents obtained by the Senate’s Covid inquiry and revealed by GloboNews. Senators will investigate whether research was manipulated in an attempt to attest to the suitability of the drugs.

A dossier delivered to the Senate inquiry shows that in March of last year, Prevent Senior carried out a hydroxychloroquine study on patients hospitalized with Covid-19 after an agreement with the government of President Jair Bolsonaro.

Documents drawn up by current and former Prevent Senior physicians show that the research protocol instructed professionals not to inform patients and...

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