themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Putin’s Trust Rating Drops Further as More Russians Willing to Protest — Poll

One-quarter of respondents named Putin when asked to identify which politicians they trust the most , the Levada polling agency said Friday .
That ’ s down three percentage points from April and less than half of the share of Russians who named him when Levada began asking the question in 2017 .
Public trust in President Vladimir Putin dropped to a new low in May as more Russians said they were ready to take to the streets to protest falling standards of living , according to independent poll results .
“ The slow but continuous decline in the approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded regardless of the survey methodology or how the questions are worded , ” Levada said in a press release .
The pollster also attributed the doubling of undecided respondents from 17 % in January to 33 % in April and May to a package of constitutional amendments designed to extend Putin ’ s rule until 2036 as well as the government 's handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
Combined with the 16 % who said they mistrust all politicians , Levada said that “ half of Russians either don ’ t trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trust at all.
” In separate poll results released Monday , Levada said 28 % of respondents voiced readiness to take part in protests over falling living standards .
That ’ s up four percentage points from the previous survey in February and the highest share seen since the 30 % peak in November 2018 , after Putin signed a controversial law raising the retirement age .
Respondents who were the least well-off were more likely to say they would be willing to join demonstrations ( 37 % ) , Levada chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
“ It ’ s a very unexpected effect that I think is mostly due to a sharp rise in uncertainty , the threat of losing your job , the decline in income , general anxiety and obvious instability in life , ” Gudkov told Open Media .
Levada conducted both surveys by phone among 1,623 Russian respondents between May 22-24 .

One-quarter of respondents named Putin when asked to identify which politicians they trust the most, the Levada polling agency said Friday. That’s down three percentage points from April and less than half of the share of Russians who named him when Levada began asking the question in 2017.
Public trust in President Vladimir Putin dropped to a new low in May as more Russians said they were ready to take to the streets to protest falling standards of living, according to independent poll results.
“The slow but continuous decline in the approval of Vladimir Putin’s activities is recorded regardless of the survey methodology or how the questions are worded,” Levada said in a press release.
The pollster also attributed the doubling of undecided respondents from 17% in January to 33% in April and May to a package of constitutional amendments designed to extend Putin’s rule until 2036 as well as the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.
Combined with the 16% who said they mistrust all politicians, Levada said that “half of Russians either don’t trust anyone or don’t know who to trust at all.”
In separate poll results released Monday, Levada said 28% of respondents voiced readiness to take part in protests over falling living standards. That’s up four percentage points from the previous survey in February and the highest share seen since the 30% peak in November 2018, after Putin signed a controversial law raising the retirement age.
Respondents who were the least well-off were more likely to say they would be willing to join demonstrations (37%), Levada chief Lev Gudkov told the Open Media news website.
“It’s a very unexpected effect that I think is mostly due to a sharp rise in uncertainty, the threat of losing your job, the decline in income, general anxiety and obvious instability in life,” Gudkov told Open Media.
Levada conducted both surveys by phone among 1,623 Russian respondents between May 22-24.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Moscow Bemused at U.S. Space 'Hysteria' as Musk Taunts Russia

Musk lobbed a jab at Dmitry Rogozin , the Russian space chief who once said Washington may one day be forced to `` deliver its astronauts to the ISS by using a trampoline . ''
On Saturday , SpaceX made history by becoming the world 's first commercial company to send humans into orbit , leading Russia to lose its long-held monopoly on space travel .
Moscow space officials on Sunday said they were puzzled by `` hysteria '' around the successful SpaceX flight as Elon Musk taunted Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to beat it to Mars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' quipped Musk at a post-flight news conference alongside NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine .
Both men laughed .
`` It 's an inside joke , '' Musk added .
Rogozin remained conspicuously silent for most of Sunday but offered his congratulations to Bridenstine after the Crew Dragon capsule with two NASA astronauts docked with the ISS .
`` It 's safe to congratulate you at this point with a successful launch and docking .
Bravo ! ''
he tweeted .
`` Please convey my sincere greetings to @ elonmusk ( I loved his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Looking forward to further cooperation ! ''
In 2014 , Rogozin , then deputy prime minister , mocked the lack of a U.S. manned flight program after Washington announced new sanctions against Moscow which included some space industries .
While Russia saluted the United States , it also stressed Sunday it was puzzled by the frenzy unleashed by what many hailed as the dawn of a new era .
`` We do n't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft , '' Roscosmos spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time ago happened , '' he added , tweeting excerpts of Trump 's congratulatory speech .
Speaking at the iconic Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the flawless SpaceX launch , Trump vowed that U.S. astronauts would return to the Moon in 2024 `` to establish a permanent presence and a launching pad to Mars . ''
`` And the first woman on the Moon will be an American woman and the first nation to land on Mars will be the United States of America , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two anywhere . ''
The Russian space agency shot back , saying it was not planning to sit idle , either .
`` Already this year we will conduct tests of two new rockets and resume our lunar program next year , '' Ustimenko tweeted .
He did not elaborate but Rogozin has earlier said the country planned to conduct a new test launch of the Angara heavy carrier rocket this autumn .
Rogozin has also said Russia is pressing ahead with the development of its new intercontinental ballistic missile , the Sarmat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NATO 's classification .
In 2018 , President Vladimir Putin boasted that the Sarmat was one of the new Russian weapons that could render NATO defenses obsolete .
Russia had for many years enjoyed a monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts , and Saturday 's launch meant the loss of a sizeable income .
A seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $ 80 million .
Roscosmos insisted that the U.S. still needed Moscow .
`` It 's very important to have at least two possibilities to make it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... , '' Ustimenko said .
Some officials in Moscow sought to downplay the U.S. feat .
`` This is a flight to the International Space Station , not to Mars , '' said Alexey Pushkov , a member of the upper house of parliament .
The Russian space program sent the first man into space in 1961 and launched the first satellite four years earlier .
But since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991 , it has been plagued by corruption scandals and a series of other setbacks , losing expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The U.S. launch and Musk 's joke set Russian social media alight , with wits ridiculing Rogozin and the Russian space chief 's name trending on Twitter .
`` How do you like this , Dmitry Rogozin ? ''
one critic prodded .

Musk lobbed a jab at Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian space chief who once said Washington may one day be forced to "deliver its astronauts to the ISS by using a trampoline."
On Saturday, SpaceX made history by becoming the world's first commercial company to send humans into orbit, leading Russia to lose its long-held monopoly on space travel.
Moscow space officials on Sunday said they were puzzled by "hysteria" around the successful SpaceX flight as Elon Musk taunted Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to beat it to Mars.
"The trampoline is working," quipped Musk at a post-flight news conference alongside NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine.
Both men laughed. "It's an inside joke," Musk added.
Rogozin remained conspicuously silent for most of Sunday but offered his congratulations to Bridenstine after the Crew Dragon capsule with two NASA astronauts docked with the ISS.
"It's safe to congratulate you at this point with a successful launch and docking. Bravo!" he tweeted.
"Please convey my sincere greetings to @elonmusk (I loved his joke) and @SpaceX team. Looking forward to further cooperation!"
In 2014, Rogozin, then deputy prime minister, mocked the lack of a U.S. manned flight program after Washington announced new sanctions against Moscow which included some space industries.
While Russia saluted the United States, it also stressed Sunday it was puzzled by the frenzy unleashed by what many hailed as the dawn of a new era.
"We don't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft," Roscosmos spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said.
"What should have happened a long time ago happened," he added, tweeting excerpts of Trump's congratulatory speech.
New rocket tests
Speaking at the iconic Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the flawless SpaceX launch, Trump vowed that U.S. astronauts would return to the Moon in 2024 "to establish a permanent presence and a launching pad to Mars."
"And the first woman on the Moon will be an American woman and the first nation to land on Mars will be the United States of America," he said.
"We are not going to be number two anywhere."
The Russian space agency shot back, saying it was not planning to sit idle, either.
"Already this year we will conduct tests of two new rockets and resume our lunar program next year," Ustimenko tweeted.
He did not elaborate but Rogozin has earlier said the country planned to conduct a new test launch of the Angara heavy carrier rocket this autumn.
Rogozin has also said Russia is pressing ahead with the development of its new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat, also known as Satan 2 by NATO's classification.
In 2018, President Vladimir Putin boasted that the Sarmat was one of the new Russian weapons that could render NATO defenses obsolete.
Russia had for many years enjoyed a monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts, and Saturday's launch meant the loss of a sizeable income. A seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $80 million.
Roscosmos insisted that the U.S. still needed Moscow.
"It's very important to have at least two possibilities to make it to the station. Because you never know...," Ustimenko said.
Some officials in Moscow sought to downplay the U.S. feat.
"This is a flight to the International Space Station, not to Mars," said Alexey Pushkov, a member of the upper house of parliament.
The Russian space program sent the first man into space in 1961 and launched the first satellite four years earlier.
But since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, it has been plagued by corruption scandals and a series of other setbacks, losing expensive spacecraft and satellites in recent years.
The U.S. launch and Musk's joke set Russian social media alight, with wits ridiculing Rogozin and the Russian space chief's name trending on Twitter.
"How do you like this, Dmitry Rogozin?" one critic prodded.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Russia Reacts to U.S. Riots, Claims of Meddling

Violent clashes have erupted in major U.S. cities and outside the White House between law enforcement and protesters taking to the streets against police brutality .
The nationwide wave of outrage was triggered following the death last Monday of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , after being arrested by Minneapolis police .
The officer who knelt on Floyd ’ s neck for almost nine minutes , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with third-degree murder .
Cities including Washington and Los Angeles deployed National Guard troops and imposed nighttime curfews as reports came in of property damage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the weekend .
Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice told CNN that the violence that overshadowed the peaceful protests came “ right out of the Russian playbook , ” a statement that drew ire from Russian officials .
Acting chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Marco Rubio tweeted , without naming Russia , that social media accounts linked to at least three foreign adversaries were “ actively stoking and promoting violence and confrontation from multiple angles.
” Here ’ s a look at the reactions from Moscow : “ The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems : race , ethnic and religious discrimination , police brutality , bias of justice , crowded prisons and uncontrolled use of firearms and self-defense weapons by individuals , to name a few.
” “ We are urging the U.S. authorities to take effective measures to improve the current state of affairs , resume good-faith efforts to honor international commitments and tailor national legislation to the UN basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement.
” “ And , of course , they should meticulously investigate the murder of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sic ] Rice , Some time ago your party colleagues made a fatal mistake when they decided to blame absolutely everything that was not to their liking on Russia .
Hillary Clinton and the Obama team convinced themselves and tried to convince the world that the domestic problems in the United States were created and encouraged by an external force : Russia.
” “ Your interview with CNN is a perfect example of barefaced propaganda .
I would like to remind you that the social media , which you believe are being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American cities , were registered in the United States , belong to Americans and are regulated by American laws.
” “ Are you trying to play the Russia card again ?
You have been playing too long ; please , come back to reality .
Go out and face your people , look them in the eye and try telling them that they are being controlled by the Russians through YouTube and Facebook .
And I will sit back and watch 'American exceptionalism ' in action.
” “ What Susan Rice has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much to Russia , which is simply non-existent and can ’ t be in this situation , but to its own people and the memory of U.S. citizen George Floyd.
” “ The American fake news machine screeched , huffed and puffed and finally burst into a long-predicted act.
” “ It would have been very funny .
But it will be sad because this may be the first sign of what to come .
But it ’ s not Russia that smells bad.
” “ [ Rice ’ s ] task is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American society to the swamp of Russophobia , routinely shifting the search for an outside enemy , deflecting the hit from the White House and the American elite as a whole .
”

Violent clashes have erupted in major U.S. cities and outside the White House between law enforcement and protesters taking to the streets against police brutality.
The nationwide wave of outrage was triggered following the death last Monday of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, after being arrested by Minneapolis police. The officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder.
Cities including Washington and Los Angeles deployed National Guard troops and imposed nighttime curfews as reports came in of property damage and looting. Around 4,100 people were arrested over the weekend.
Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice told CNN that the violence that overshadowed the peaceful protests came “right out of the Russian playbook,” a statement that drew ire from Russian officials. Acting chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Marco Rubio tweeted, without naming Russia, that social media accounts linked to at least three foreign adversaries were “actively stoking and promoting violence and confrontation from multiple angles.”
Here’s a look at the reactions from Moscow:
— Russian Foreign Ministry:
“The United States has certainly accumulated systemic human rights problems: race, ethnic and religious discrimination, police brutality, bias of justice, crowded prisons and uncontrolled use of firearms and self-defense weapons by individuals, to name a few.”
“We are urging the U.S. authorities to take effective measures to improve the current state of affairs, resume good-faith efforts to honor international commitments and tailor national legislation to the UN basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement.”
“And, of course, they should meticulously investigate the murder of George Floyd.”
— Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
“Dear Suzan [sic] Rice, Some time ago your party colleagues made a fatal mistake when they decided to blame absolutely everything that was not to their liking on Russia. Hillary Clinton and the Obama team convinced themselves and tried to convince the world that the domestic problems in the United States were created and encouraged by an external force: Russia.”
“Your interview with CNN is a perfect example of barefaced propaganda. I would like to remind you that the social media, which you believe are being used by Russian agents to fuel protests in American cities, were registered in the United States, belong to Americans and are regulated by American laws.” “Are you trying to play the Russia card again? You have been playing too long; please, come back to reality. Go out and face your people, look them in the eye and try telling them that they are being controlled by the Russians through YouTube and Facebook. And I will sit back and watch 'American exceptionalism' in action.”
— Konstantin Kosachev, senator:
“What Susan Rice has said is a direct insult. Not so much to Russia, which is simply non-existent and can’t be in this situation, but to its own people and the memory of U.S. citizen George Floyd.”
“The American fake news machine screeched, huffed and puffed and finally burst into a long-predicted act.”
“It would have been very funny. But it will be sad because this may be the first sign of what to come. But it’s not Russia that smells bad.”
— Oleg Morozov, senator:
“[Rice’s] task is once again to divert the attention of American society to the swamp of Russophobia, routinely shifting the search for an outside enemy, deflecting the hit from the White House and the American elite as a whole.”


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--Russia to Roll Out ‘Game-Changing’ Anti-Coronavirus Drug — Reuters

Russia will begin rolling out its first approved drug in the fight against coronavirus which it describes as “ a @ @ @ @ @ week , Reuters reported on Monday , citing the country 's sovereign wealth fund .
@ @ @ @ @ a vaccine and other treatments for the coronavirus as the deadly pandemic has battered its @ @ @ @ @ 400,000 of its citizens .
The Russian Direct Investment Fund ( RDIF ) and the @ @ @ @ @ touted “ promising ” clinical trials of a modified version of favipiravir , the generic @ @ @ @ @ ’ s anti-flu drug Avigan .

Russia will begin rolling out its first approved drug in the fight against coronavirus which it describes as “a game changer” starting next week, Reuters reported on Monday, citing the country's sovereign wealth fund.
Russia has raced to develop a vaccine and other treatments for the coronavirus as the deadly pandemic has battered its economy and infected more than 400,000 of its citizens. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the ChemRar biotechnology firm last month touted “promising” clinical trials of a modified version of favipiravir, the generic version of Japanese firm Fujifilm’s anti-flu drug Avigan.


themoscowtimes--2020-06-01--As Russian Officials Back Hydroxychloroquine, Doctors Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

The controversy over the drug hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine — made famous during the pandemic by U.S. President Donald Trump — came to a head last week after the World Health Organization suspended a multinational trial into its effectiveness in treating Covid-19 patients .
Shortly after , Belgium , France and Italy — three of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus — halted the use of the medication commonly used against malaria , lupus and severe arthritis in treating Covid-19 .
The moves were prompted after a study published in the medical journal The Lancet on May 22 found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to develop heart complications and were dying at higher rates than other Covid-19 patients .
But Russia — along with Nigeria and Spain , among other countries — has stood by its use of the drug , which the Health Ministry recommends as both a treatment for coronavirus patients and a preventative measure for the over-60s and anyone who has been in contact with the virus or spends time around patients .
On Thursday , the Health Ministry said it is finalizing the latest version of its guidelines for the diagnosis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will now include criteria to help doctors assess the benefits and risks of using hydroxychloroquine .
“ Domestic experience indicates the validity of the use of hydroxychloroquine when it is prescribed in certain groups of patients with COVID-19 in low doses , ” the Health Ministry said .
Not all of Russia ’ s medical experts agree .
“ We should abolish the use of this tool to combat the coronavirus in Russia , ” Vadim Pokrovsky , head of the Federal Center for Fighting AIDS , told the online Gazeta.ru outlet last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of experience using experimental drugs in treating confounding diseases , explained that the anti-inflammatory effects researchers had banked on hadn ’ t panned out , while the negative side effects outweighed any benefits .
In interviews with over a dozen medical professionals working with coronavirus patients around Russia , The Moscow Times found that many — including entire hospitals — agree with Pokrovsky and are ignoring official guidelines .
After the Lancet study was published , First Moscow State Medical University ’ s Clinical Hospital no .
2 stopped prescribing hydroxychloroquine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a nurse at the hospital who asked for anonymity .
“ Usually you have to follow the country guidelines , ” the nurse said .
“ But in a case like the coronavirus , the hospital ’ s clinical pharmacologist can adjust the recommendations based on the latest research.
” Early on in the pandemic , Russia marked out hydroxychloroquine as an effective tool for fighting the coronavirus .
As early as March , Alexander Myasnikov , the doctor who would become Russia ’ s coronavirus information chief , was recommending that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early April , BBC Russia reported that doctors treating coronavirus patients were being forced to test hydroxychloroquine on themselves .
By April 17 , Russia had authorized hospitals to use the drug in the fight against the contagion .
That same day it received a large shipment from China , while five days later the pharmaceutical company Biocom announced it would produce 170,000 packs of the medicine .
Hydroxychloroquine was also backed by Denis Protsenko , the head doctor of Moscow ’ s main coronavirus hospital Kommunarka .
In a Facebook post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experimental medications during the pandemic .
“ If we can use a number of medicines ( hydroxychloroquine ) based on the experience of foreign colleagues who experienced the epidemic before us , why can ’ t we use other [ drugs ] the same way ?
” Protsenko wrote .
In line with that thinking , on Monday , Reuters reported that Russia had registered an antiviral drug under the name Avifavir to be used from June 11 in the treatment of the coronavirus .
While Japan developed the drug , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said they took hydroxychloroquine on Protsenko ’ s advice , while a nurse who worked at Kommunarka until mid-April said that during those weeks doctors administered the medication to “ every patient.
” The nurse , who now works at First Moscow State Medical University ’ s Clinical Hospital no .
2 , said she now “ rarely encounters ” the drug .
Just a week after Protsenko ’ s Facebook post , Andrei Zaytsev , the chief pulmonologist for the Defense Ministry , ruled out the use of hydroxychloroquine in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low expectations regarding the possibilities of ‘ antiviral therapy ’ using lopinavir/ritonavir ” — normally used for treating HIV — “ and hydroxychloroquine did not materialize , ” he wrote .
While the consensus seems to be shifting , official guidelines are causing confusion .
On May 5 , Alexander Pishalnikov , a 52-year-old Moscow municipal deputy , checked into a city hospital in bad shape .
His doctor administered two experimental medications — one was lopinavir/ritonavir , the other hydroxychloroquine .
But after three days , the doctor decided Pishalnikov should stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown a negative effect on his liver .
“ And anyway , ” Pishalnikov , who is now back at home recovering , recalled last week , “ my doctor told me plaquenil ” — a common brand name drug for hydroxychloroquine — “ was already shown to be useless in treating coronavirus patients , so there was no harm in stopping.
” Medical professionals working with coronavirus patients all over Russia , however , told The Moscow Times they are still being given hydroxychloroquine as a preventative medicine .
Almost all said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually take it .
“ They feed us with it , ” said a paramedic based in Syktyvkar , a city in the northern Komi Republic , asking not to be named .
“ We don ’ t take it of course .
It ’ s useless.
” Some medical workers , though , have tried it .
A nurse who became infected with the coronavirus in April while working with patients at Moscow ’ s veterans ’ hospital no .
3 took the drug while on sick leave in the hopes it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t recommend it , ” she said .
“ The side effects were bad and I didn ’ t see any benefits from it .
It hits the liver and heart , and you get head and muscle pains.
” But if the drug is going to waste on the coronavirus fight , Russian lupus and arthritis patients — as in the United States — are finding it difficult to source their medication .
Polina Pchelnikova , head of the rheumatological association Nadezhda — or Hope — told the U.S.-funded Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent survey by the organization showed 57 % of such patients were having trouble finding the drug .
One nurse at Kommunarka , asking for anonymity , told The Moscow Times that they are using their position to help a friend with lupus in the annexed Crimea peninsula .
Because the hospital has so much hydroxychloroquine in stock , the nurse took some home and shipped it south .
There is another negative side effect to the drug .
“ Hydroxychloroquine may cause some people to be agitated , irritable , or display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center the Mayo Clinic writes .
“ It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies , or to become more depressed.
” In 2016 , Spanish doctors also found that the drug could lead to suicide .
Asking to speak anonymously because they were not authorized to speak on the subject , a researcher at the suicide department of the Moscow Psychiatric Science Institute said the department has been tracking the possibility during Russia ’ s outbreak .
“ We haven ’ t seen anything of the like yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , however , has raised suspicions .
On May 6 , Russian billionaire and coal baron Dmitry Bosov died by suicide at his home in the elite Moscow suburb of Rublyovka .
At the time , one close friend told Forbes Russia that Bosov had become paranoid over the pandemic and “ for nearly two months locked himself in his house on Rublyovka and didn ’ t see anyone.
” Bosov was also active in helping combat the pandemic through his Day One Foundation , the friend recalled .
In April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Russia 10,000 packets of hydroxychloroquine to send to Italy .
“ He only talked to friends by phone and all the time yelled , ‘ sit at home or you ’ ll die , ’ ” the friend recalled .
While an investigation is still pending into the reason for his death , two close friends of the deceased billionaire told The Moscow Times last week that Bosov had been taking hydroxychloroquine before his death .
“ I talked to him a week before the suicide .
He said that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , ” said one of the friends , who is a medical professional .
“ I told him that is a bad idea as it only helps during the early stages of infection .
I believe the drug , together with the isolation , led to psychosis and his suicide .
”

The controversy over the drug hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine — made famous during the pandemic by U.S. President Donald Trump — came to a head last week after the World Health Organization suspended a multinational trial into its effectiveness in treating Covid-19 patients. Shortly after, Belgium, France and Italy — three of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus — halted the use of the medication commonly used against malaria, lupus and severe arthritis in treating Covid-19. The moves were prompted after a study published in the medical journal The Lancet on May 22 found that coronavirus patients treated with hydroxychloroquine were more likely to develop heart complications and were dying at higher rates than other Covid-19 patients. But Russia — along with Nigeria and Spain, among other countries — has stood by its use of the drug, which the Health Ministry recommends as both a treatment for coronavirus patients and a preventative measure for the over-60s and anyone who has been in contact with the virus or spends time around patients. On Thursday, the Health Ministry said it is finalizing the latest version of its guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Covid-19, which will now include criteria to help doctors assess the benefits and risks of using hydroxychloroquine. “Domestic experience indicates the validity of the use of hydroxychloroquine when it is prescribed in certain groups of patients with COVID-19 in low doses,” the Health Ministry said.
news Moscow Eases Lockdown Despite High Virus Caseload Read more
Not all of Russia’s medical experts agree. “We should abolish the use of this tool to combat the coronavirus in Russia,” Vadim Pokrovsky, head of the Federal Center for Fighting AIDS, told the online Gazeta.ru outlet last Tuesday. The expert, who has years of experience using experimental drugs in treating confounding diseases, explained that the anti-inflammatory effects researchers had banked on hadn’t panned out, while the negative side effects outweighed any benefits. In interviews with over a dozen medical professionals working with coronavirus patients around Russia, The Moscow Times found that many — including entire hospitals — agree with Pokrovsky and are ignoring official guidelines. After the Lancet study was published, First Moscow State Medical University’s Clinical Hospital no. 2 stopped prescribing hydroxychloroquine for both patients and its medical workers, said a nurse at the hospital who asked for anonymity. “Usually you have to follow the country guidelines,” the nurse said. “But in a case like the coronavirus, the hospital’s clinical pharmacologist can adjust the recommendations based on the latest research.” Hydroxychloroquine first Early on in the pandemic, Russia marked out hydroxychloroquine as an effective tool for fighting the coronavirus. As early as March, Alexander Myasnikov, the doctor who would become Russia’s coronavirus information chief, was recommending that patients take the drug. Then, in early April, BBC Russia reported that doctors treating coronavirus patients were being forced to test hydroxychloroquine on themselves. By April 17, Russia had authorized hospitals to use the drug in the fight against the contagion. That same day it received a large shipment from China, while five days later the pharmaceutical company Biocom announced it would produce 170,000 packs of the medicine. Hydroxychloroquine was also backed by Denis Protsenko, the head doctor of Moscow’s main coronavirus hospital Kommunarka. In a Facebook post on May 5, he advocated using experimental medications during the pandemic. “If we can use a number of medicines (hydroxychloroquine) based on the experience of foreign colleagues who experienced the epidemic before us, why can’t we use other [drugs] the same way?” Protsenko wrote.
In line with that thinking, on Monday, Reuters reported that Russia had registered an antiviral drug under the name Avifavir to be used from June 11 in the treatment of the coronavirus. While Japan developed the drug, it has yet to approve it. Recovered patients have said they took hydroxychloroquine on Protsenko’s advice, while a nurse who worked at Kommunarka until mid-April said that during those weeks doctors administered the medication to “every patient.” The nurse, who now works at First Moscow State Medical University’s Clinical Hospital no. 2, said she now “rarely encounters” the drug. Just a week after Protsenko’s Facebook post, Andrei Zaytsev, the chief pulmonologist for the Defense Ministry, ruled out the use of hydroxychloroquine in his own Facebook post. “Our already low expectations regarding the possibilities of ‘antiviral therapy’ using lopinavir/ritonavir” — normally used for treating HIV — “and hydroxychloroquine did not materialize,” he wrote. While the consensus seems to be shifting, official guidelines are causing confusion.
On May 5, Alexander Pishalnikov, a 52-year-old Moscow municipal deputy, checked into a city hospital in bad shape. His doctor administered two experimental medications — one was lopinavir/ritonavir, the other hydroxychloroquine. But after three days, the doctor decided Pishalnikov should stop taking the drugs as blood analyses had shown a negative effect on his liver. “And anyway,” Pishalnikov, who is now back at home recovering, recalled last week, “my doctor told me plaquenil” — a common brand name drug for hydroxychloroquine — “was already shown to be useless in treating coronavirus patients, so there was no harm in stopping.” ‘They feed us with it’ Medical professionals working with coronavirus patients all over Russia, however, told The Moscow Times they are still being given hydroxychloroquine as a preventative medicine. Almost all said they and their co-workers don’t actually take it. “They feed us with it,” said a paramedic based in Syktyvkar, a city in the northern Komi Republic, asking not to be named. “We don’t take it of course. It’s useless.” Some medical workers, though, have tried it. A nurse who became infected with the coronavirus in April while working with patients at Moscow’s veterans’ hospital no. 3 took the drug while on sick leave in the hopes it would help her recover. “I wouldn’t recommend it,” she said. “The side effects were bad and I didn’t see any benefits from it. It hits the liver and heart, and you get head and muscle pains.”
But if the drug is going to waste on the coronavirus fight, Russian lupus and arthritis patients — as in the United States — are finding it difficult to source their medication. Polina Pchelnikova, head of the rheumatological association Nadezhda — or Hope — told the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news outlet that a recent survey by the organization showed 57% of such patients were having trouble finding the drug. One nurse at Kommunarka, asking for anonymity, told The Moscow Times that they are using their position to help a friend with lupus in the annexed Crimea peninsula. Because the hospital has so much hydroxychloroquine in stock, the nurse took some home and shipped it south. Murky suicide There is another negative side effect to the drug. “Hydroxychloroquine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors,” U.S. medical center the Mayo Clinic writes. “It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies, or to become more depressed.” In 2016, Spanish doctors also found that the drug could lead to suicide. Asking to speak anonymously because they were not authorized to speak on the subject, a researcher at the suicide department of the Moscow Psychiatric Science Institute said the department has been tracking the possibility during Russia’s outbreak. “We haven’t seen anything of the like yet,” the researcher said.
The coal baron billionaire Dmitry Bosov died by suicide at his home outside Moscow on May 6. Alexander Ryumin / TASS