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{{quotebox|<nowiki>The patients’ mean age was 45 (sd 17) years, 45% were male, and the case fatality rate was 0.9%. We performed 2,065 low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans highlighting lung lesions in 592 of the 991 (59.7%) patients with minimal clinical symptoms (NEWS score = 0). A discrepancy between spontaneous dyspnoea, hypoxemia and lung lesions was observed. Clinical factors (age, comorbidities, NEWS-2 score), biological factors (lymphocytopenia; eosinopenia; decrease in blood zinc; and increase in D-dimers, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine phosphokinase, troponin and C-reactive protein) and moderate and severe lesions detected in low-dose CT scans were associated with poor clinical outcome. Treatment with HCQ-AZ was associated with a decreased risk of transfer to ICU or death (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.18 0.11–0.27), decreased risk of hospitalization ≥10 days (odds ratios 95% CI 0.38 0.27–0.54) and shorter duration of viral shedding (time to negative PCR: HR 1.29 1.17–1.42). QTc prolongation (>60 ms) was observed in 25 patients (0.67%) leading to the cessation of treatment in 12 cases including 3 cases with QTc> 500 ms. No cases of torsade de pointe or sudden death were observed.</nowiki><ref name =Francestud>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920302817 Outcomes of 3,737 COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin and other regimens in Marseille, France: A retrospective analysis] by Jean-Christophe Lagier et. al. (July–August 2020) ''Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease''</ref>}} A case fatality rate of 0.9% is really low when compared to other studies, although the fact that patients with milder symptoms were included in the study certainly helped.  For comparison, across the channel, the RECOVERY trial's case fatality rate was 25.7% for hydroxychloroquine and 23.5% for usual care.   

{{quotebox|<nowiki>The patients’ mean age was 45 (sd 17) years, 45% were male, and the case fatality rate was 0.9%. We performed 2,065 low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans highlighting lung lesions in 592 of the 991 (59.7%) patients with minimal clinical symptoms (NEWS score = 0). A discrepancy between spontaneous dyspnoea, hypoxemia and lung lesions was observed. Clinical factors (age, comorbidities, NEWS-2 score), biological factors (lymphocytopenia; eosinopenia; decrease in blood zinc; and increase in D-dimers, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine phosphokinase, troponin and C-reactive protein) and moderate and severe lesions detected in low-dose CT scans were associated with poor clinical outcome. Treatment with HCQ-AZ was associated with a decreased risk of transfer to ICU or death (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.18 0.11–0.27), decreased risk of hospitalization ≥10 days (odds ratios 95% CI 0.38 0.27–0.54) and shorter duration of viral shedding (time to negative PCR: HR 1.29 1.17–1.42). QTc prolongation (>60 ms) was observed in 25 patients (0.67%) leading to the cessation of treatment in 12 cases including 3 cases with QTc> 500 ms. No cases of torsade de pointe or sudden death were observed.</nowiki><ref name =Francestud>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893920302817 Outcomes of 3,737 COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin and other regimens in Marseille, France: A retrospective analysis] by Jean-Christophe Lagier et. al. (July–August 2020) ''Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease''</ref>}} A case fatality rate of 0.9% is really low when compared to other studies, although the fact that patients with milder symptoms were included in the study certainly helped.  For comparison, across the channel, the RECOVERY trial's case fatality rate was 25.7% for hydroxychloroquine and 23.5% for usual care.   

The study also showed that HCQ was associated with a shorter duration of viral shedding, as one might expect when an antiviral is working as an antiviral. 10.6% of patients using HCQ and AZ had the virus persist longer than ten days versus 20.6% of patients using other treatments.  That result had a statistical significance of P<0.001.  HCQ was also associated with decreased "risk of transfer to the ICU or death" and decreased "risk of hospitalization", both of which were statistically  significant results (P<.001). The study also had zero cases of torsade de pointe despite having treated over 3000 patients.  That is a critically important finding as the main argument opponents of HCQ use is that it causes torsade de pointe which can lead to sudden death.  It must be noted that Raoult's numbers are helped by the fact that he screened out people who had risk factors for HCQ and QTc prolongation was monitored through EKGs in hospitalized patients.<ref name =Francestud/><ref name =CMRaoult>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MAoJnu7-sw&list=PLRgTUN1zz_oeQpnJxpeaEkFimDeepqyWf&t=1670 Covid-19: Is The Worst Behind Us?] by Dr. Chris Martenson (Jun 25, 2020) ''PeakPosperity''</ref>

The study also showed that HCQ was associated with a shorter duration of viral shedding, as one might expect when an antiviral is working as an antiviral. 10.6% of patients using HCQ and AZ had the virus persist longer than ten days versus 20.6% of patients using other treatments.  That result had a statistical significance of P<0.001.  HCQ was also associated with decreased "risk of transfer to the ICU or death" and decreased "risk of hospitalization", both of which were statistically  significant results (P<.001). The study also had zero cases of torsades de pointes despite having treated over 3000 patients.  That is a critically important finding as the main argument opponents of HCQ use is that it causes torsades de pointes which can lead to sudden death.  It must be noted that Raoult's numbers are helped by the fact that he screened out people who had risk factors for HCQ and QTc prolongation was monitored through EKGs in hospitalized patients.<ref name =Francestud/><ref name =CMRaoult>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MAoJnu7-sw&list=PLRgTUN1zz_oeQpnJxpeaEkFimDeepqyWf&t=1670 Covid-19: Is The Worst Behind Us?] by Dr. Chris Martenson (Jun 25, 2020) ''PeakPosperity''</ref>

Dr. Raoult is too prominent of a figure for the mainstream media to ignore.  The following are some examples of how they have portrayed him and his work.

Dr. Raoult is too prominent of a figure for the mainstream media to ignore.  The following are some examples of how they have portrayed him and his work.