Hello and welcome to The Moving Curve. I’m Rukmini, a data journalist based in Chennai. Every night on this mini-cast, I consider one question around the novel coronavirus epidemic in India. Tonight I’m considering this question — is India meeting bar for evidence?
The March 23 advisory on HCQ as a prophylactic https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/AdvisoryontheuseofHydroxychloroquinasprophylaxisforSARSCoV2infection.pdf
The new advisory: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/RevisedadvisoryontheuseofhydroxychloroquineasprophylaxisforSARSCOVID19infection.pdf
The Lancet paper on its use in treatment: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31180-6/fulltext
One thing we’ve all seen is that if there’s a study that says one thing works today, tomorrow you’ll find a study that says it doesn’t. But all of those need to meet the standards of evidence. What the Indian government put in its guidelines today simply doesn’t cut it.
Thank you for listening. This episode was edited by Anand Krishnamoorthi. Tomorrow — a new question.
