The speculation about treatments for COVID-19 using hydroxychloroquine originated from a conversation on Twitter involving James D'Daro, Gregory Ragano, and Adrian By. Adrian By claimed that chloroquine could keep most people out of the hospital, mentioning the treatment protocols of South Korea, China, and the UK. This conversation gained attention after reaching Donald Trump. James D'Daro, MD, who tweeted about this, does have a medical degree from Columbia University but never practiced medicine, instead founding a cryptocurrency before graduating, reflecting on the unconventional route taken by one of the key players in the hydroxychloroquine speculation.