Washington, April 10 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump continues to promote hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 curative, even though no clinical trials have shown the drug to be effective at treating the virus. 

A medical journal which published a French study suggesting a therapeutic use for the drug in treating coronavirus has since said the study does not meet expected medical standards.  And cardiologists warn hydroxychloroquine has serious side effects and can cause sudden cardiac arrest in some patients. 

Meanwhile, President Trump added another chemical to his list of untested treatments: zinc.  While Trump promotes these drugs -- with reports that he personally owns shares in pharmaceutical companies producing hydroxychloroquine and will make money on its sale -- there is no medical evidence showing zinc to be an effective treatment for COVID-19. 

One observer said that Trump appears to be promoting an unproven cocktail of drugs administered by Dr. Vladimir Zelenko, a self-described “simple country doctor” in New York who’s been widely promoted on Fox News.

Meanwhile, White House aides are discussing plans to reopen the U.S. economy as early as May 1st, despite warnings from public health officials that an end to social distancing measures could lead to a new surge of infections and deaths.