Laura Ng is pictured with her hydroxychloroquine prescription during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Seattle
(Photo: Reuters)

The survey conducted by Sermo, a global health care polling company of 6,227 physicians in thirty countries, noted that 37 percent of all those dealing with COVID-19 patients ranked hydroxychloroquine as the "most successful therapy" from a listing of 15 choices.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted chloroquine, and its next-generation derivative, hydroxychloroquine, emergency use authorization Monday for dealing with the novel coronavirus, nevertheless, the medication is now used off label by several doctors and hospitals for COVID 19 patients.

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Other medication used for COVID-19

The survey likewise realized that probably the most commonly prescribed treatments are analgesics (56%), azithromycin (41%) and hydroxychloroquine (33%).

Azithromycin, known by the name brand Zithromax or Z-Pak, was ranked the second-most effective treatment at 32 %, followed by "nothing," analgesics (including acetaminophen), anti-HIV medications as well as cough medicine. Hydroxychloroquine that comes under the name brand Plaquenil was recommended primarily in the United States for the most severe cases, and not so in some other countries.

"Outside the U.S., hydroxychloroquine was just as used for recognizing people with gentle to severe symptoms whereas in the U.S. it was most commonly used for risk that is excessive for diagnosed patients," the survey found.

The 30 nations surveyed provided those in Europe, Asia, North America and South America, and also Australia. No bonuses were provided participating in the poll, conducted March 25, 27, as reported by Sermo.

Hydroxychloroquine consumption was most prevalent in Spain, where 72% of doctors surveyed said they had prescribed it, followed by Italy at 49%, and least popular in Japan, where 7% used it for treating COVID-19.

The poll found 23% of U.S. medical experts had given the drug, which has been FDA approved for malaria, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Voice of Doctors Must Be Heard

The debate regarding hydroxychloroquine has raged to the United States since President Trump touted it two days before as a possible "game-changer" in the battle against the lethal pandemic, prompting critics to accuse him of peddling unproven cures, or "snake oil," as USA Today place it. Sermo CEO Peter Kirk referred to as the polling results a "treasure trove of global insights for policymakers."

The survey even realized that 63% of U.S. physicians feel restrictions should be lifted in six days or more and that the epidemic's peak is a minimum of 3 to 4 weeks away.

The survey even discovered that 83% of global doctors anticipate a second global outbreak, including 90% of U.S. doctors but just 50% of physicians in China.

On average, U.S. coronavirus testing takes 4-5 days, while 10% of cases take more than seven times. In China, 73% of doctors reported getting rest benefits back in 24 hours.

In cases of ventilator shortages, all nations but China said the top requirements must be patients with the very best chance of recovery (47%), followed by patients with probably the highest risk of death (21%), and then first responders (15%).

In China, the survey said medical professionals prioritized individuals at the highest risk of death.