Helen,
Here is a list of clinical trials around Covid:
Over 4500 of them covering just about everything from Sylmarin (an extract of milk thistle) , to antiviral drugs (established and novel), statins, anti-inflamatory drugs used for arthritis, turmeric, saffron, vaccinations, mindfulness and a host of other aspects of treating or managing Covid and its sequelae.
I haven’t looked at every trial protocol to rigorously assess its merit but this is not “mercilessly silencing” doctors who think that repurposing drugs might be useful - it is the scientific and medical community giving them chance to prove whether older drugs have a place in the management of prevention, acute illness, or convalescence.
Amongst other drugs research has shown dexamethasone to be extremely useful - a drug first synthesised in 1958.
So, tell me again how the medical profession is gagging anyone who thinks repurposed drugs might be useful against Covid?