I seem to recall four types of HCQ "science" paper. HCQ needs to be used with zinc. Here is my analogy. Caveat: I am not a doctor!

Remote village is constantly being raided by another tribe. The suggestion is to use guns. Those in charge do not like guns but run a test. They give the village guns and monitor the results. The village is ravaged just the same and a paper is published.

Careful readers suspect that the village was not given any ammunition. The powers that be run another test with ammunition. Another paper results and the village still suffered but did they also get guns this time someone asked.

OK, test three: Guns and ammunition issued and another test is run. Village suffers again and another paper published. Did they receive the guns and ammunition in time to stop the attack? Apparently not.

Fourth test, guns and ammunition issued in advance. Village still overrun. This time the weapons were stacked feet deep in a large container and the whole container was dropped on the village people from a great height causing severe injuries.

That is how they conducted the HCQ tests. HCQ no zinc, zinc no HCQ, HCQ and zinc too late (i.e in hospital), HCQ overdose. Result: Four papers all "proving" that HCQ did not work.