What People Really Think About COVID Drugs: A Twitter Tale

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people talked a lot about drugs on Twitter. Some of these drugs were approved by the FDA, while others were not. A study looked at over 600,000 tweets to see what people thought about these drugs.

Key Findings

• Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin were talked about more than Molnupiravir and Remdesivir.
• This was especially true during the worst parts of the pandemic.
• People had very different opinions about these drugs.

Political and Healthcare Perspectives

• Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin were often discussed in a political way.
• Some people thought they were good, while others thought they were bad.
• Republicans were more likely to support these drugs than Democrats.
• People with healthcare backgrounds were more likely to oppose Hydroxychloroquine.

Changing Opinions Over Time

• The study found that people's opinions about these drugs changed over time.
• This is important because it shows that people's perceptions of drugs can change.
• It also shows that misinformation can spread quickly on social media.

Recommendations

The study suggests that health systems, regulatory agencies, and policymakers should do more to monitor and reduce misinformation.

• This is important because it can help promote safe drug use.