Donald Trump Reportedly Pressuring FDA to Approve Oleandrin as Virus Drug

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By Evan BrechtelAug 17, 2020
Evan Brechtel
Evan Brechtel is a writer and actor living in New York. A Fordham University graduate, he also writes a monthly column for Chosen Magazine and is currently working on a historical fiction novel about New York queer bars over the twentieth century.
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After months of baselessly touting hydroxychloroquine—an anti-malarial drug with extreme side effects—as a cure for the virus that's killed nearly 170 thousand Americans, another unconventional and potentially dangerous drug may be getting an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
 According to Axios, Trump is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve an extract from the oleander flower to market as a cure for the virus. There is no prove that this is an effective treatment.
The extract is called oleandrin, and it's highly toxic, but has enjoyed endorsements from Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and especially from the MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a fervent Trump supporter with financial stake in the company behind oleandrin.
NEW: To the alarm of some government health officials, Trump has expressed enthusiasm for the FDA to approve an extract from the oleander plant as a dietary supplement to cure COVID-19, despite lack of proof that it works. https://t.co/33kWh7xuVk
— Axios (@axios) August 16, 2020 
Lindell told reporters that Trump was hoping the drug would be approved:
"[Trump] basically said: …'The FDA should be approving it.'"Another Trump administration official told Axios:
"The involvement of the Secretary of HUD and MyPillow.com in pushing a dubious product at the highest levels should give Americans no comfort at night about their health and safety during a raging pandemic."Trump's determination coupled with oleandrin's toxicity has many concerned.
Oleander is EXTREMELY toxic. A single leaf can kill a child. Cattle and horses die from eating it.

Oleandrin, the chemical discussed here, causes heart arrhythmia and sudden death from cardiac failure.

This feels like we're in Jonestown final days territory. I'm not kidding. https://t.co/XsgJEjDt5p
— Leah McElrath 🏳️🌈 (@leahmcelrath) August 17, 2020 

The cells in our body use energy found in ATP to pump sodium ions outside and potassium ions inside. They need this electrochemical gradient to power other biochemical processes like using a battery. By poisoning the Na⁺/K⁺ pump, oleandrin literally drains our cells' batteries.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 17, 2020 

This is a particular problem in our heart cells, which use the sodium gradient to pump calcium ions out by letting sodium ions in. Calcium builds up in our heart cells which at first can increase their contractility but at higher levels can cause heart rhythm problems and death.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 17, 2020 

Wait. Oleandrin, as in from an oleander plant, as in, one of the most toxic plants on the planet? THAT oleandrin? https://t.co/I3553aL2eu
— Thom, Democrat and Anti-Fascist (@ThomboyD) August 17, 2020 

They're touting oleandrin??????? The thing found in oleander plants that causes heart attacks??????????? WHAT https://t.co/S9Slt8MAfY
— Pascalle Lepas (@lepas) August 17, 2020 

The President already continues to go to absurd lengths promoting hydroxychloroquine, even using his Twitter account to amplify fringe doctors who swear by it, including one doctor who believes that demons have sex with humans in their sleep.
Trump's full-throated support of oleandrin could prove even more dangerous.
Given the progression in toxicity from #hydroxychloroquine to #oleandrin, I assume #cyanide is the next step. Just give me a heads up and make sure your insurance is active. #thisntsafe
— Bram Dolcourt (@dolcourt) August 17, 2020 

You're about to hear a lot about their new demon sperm, oleandrin, which Mr. @MyPillowUSA has a financial stake in. 

It's the #HydroxyChloroquine of bleach cures. 

Don't buy it. https://t.co/dGMMU8BzMK
— (((evan shapiro))) (@eshap) August 17, 2020 

MOVE OVER HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE: Trump now pushing a new pill—dietary supplement oleandrin. 

WH officials were recently pitched that “oleandrin cures #COVID19 in two days". I won't bother describing you the lack of randomized trials for this supplement. https://t.co/RpSOdBzdfL
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) August 17, 2020 
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After months of baselessly touting hydroxychloroquine—an anti-malarial drug with extreme side effects—as a cure for the virus that's killed nearly 170 thousand Americans, another unconventional and potentially dangerous drug may be getting an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

According to Axios, Trump is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve an extract from the oleander flower to market as a cure for the virus. There is no prove that this is an effective treatment.

The extract is called oleandrin, and it's highly toxic, but has enjoyed endorsements from Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and especially from the MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a fervent Trump supporter with financial stake in the company behind oleandrin.

NEW: To the alarm of some government health officials, Trump has expressed enthusiasm for the FDA to approve an extract from the oleander plant as a dietary supplement to cure COVID-19, despite lack of proof that it works. https://t.co/33kWh7xuVk
— Axios (@axios) August 16, 2020

Lindell told reporters that Trump was hoping the drug would be approved:

"[Trump] basically said: …'The FDA should be approving it.'"

Another Trump administration official told Axios:

"The involvement of the Secretary of HUD and MyPillow.com in pushing a dubious product at the highest levels should give Americans no comfort at night about their health and safety during a raging pandemic."

Trump's determination coupled with oleandrin's toxicity has many concerned.

Oleander is EXTREMELY toxic. A single leaf can kill a child. Cattle and horses die from eating it.

Oleandrin, the chemical discussed here, causes heart arrhythmia and sudden death from cardiac failure.

This feels like we're in Jonestown final days territory. I'm not kidding. https://t.co/XsgJEjDt5p
— Leah McElrath 🏳️🌈 (@leahmcelrath) August 17, 2020

The cells in our body use energy found in ATP to pump sodium ions outside and potassium ions inside. They need this electrochemical gradient to power other biochemical processes like using a battery. By poisoning the Na⁺/K⁺ pump, oleandrin literally drains our cells' batteries.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 17, 2020

This is a particular problem in our heart cells, which use the sodium gradient to pump calcium ions out by letting sodium ions in. Calcium builds up in our heart cells which at first can increase their contractility but at higher levels can cause heart rhythm problems and death.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 17, 2020

Wait. Oleandrin, as in from an oleander plant, as in, one of the most toxic plants on the planet? THAT oleandrin? https://t.co/I3553aL2eu
— Thom, Democrat and Anti-Fascist (@ThomboyD) August 17, 2020

They're touting oleandrin??????? The thing found in oleander plants that causes heart attacks??????????? WHAT https://t.co/S9Slt8MAfY
— Pascalle Lepas (@lepas) August 17, 2020

The President already continues to go to absurd lengths promoting hydroxychloroquine, even using his Twitter account to amplify fringe doctors who swear by it, including one doctor who believes that demons have sex with humans in their sleep.

Trump's full-throated support of oleandrin could prove even more dangerous.

Given the progression in toxicity from #hydroxychloroquine to #oleandrin, I assume #cyanide is the next step. Just give me a heads up and make sure your insurance is active. #thisntsafe
— Bram Dolcourt (@dolcourt) August 17, 2020

You're about to hear a lot about their new demon sperm, oleandrin, which Mr. @MyPillowUSA has a financial stake in.

It's the #HydroxyChloroquine of bleach cures.

Don't buy it. https://t.co/dGMMU8BzMK
— (((evan shapiro))) (@eshap) August 17, 2020

MOVE OVER HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE: Trump now pushing a new pill—dietary supplement oleandrin.

WH officials were recently pitched that “oleandrin cures #COVID19 in two days". I won't bother describing you the lack of randomized trials for this supplement. https://t.co/RpSOdBzdfL
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) August 17, 2020

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