WHO Stops Trial Of Hydroxychloroquine For COVID 19 After Study Suggests It Increases Risk Of Death

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday has temporarily suspended clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug, as a possible treatment for COVID 19. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said,

On Friday, the Lancet published an observational study on hydroxycholoroquine and chloroquine and its effects on COVID-19 patients that have been hospitalised. The authors reported that among patients receiving the drug, when used alone or with a macrolide, they estimated a higher mortality rate.

The WHO chief also said that, as part of the continued response to the pandemic globally, WHO is working aggressively on research and development, and the Solidarity Trial was initiated to evaluate safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations against COVID19.

Tedros also added, that “The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board. The other arms of the trial are continuing. This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19. I wish to reiterate that these drugs are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria.”

As of right now, the entire world is looking for treatments and vaccine development to fight the highly contagious novel coronavirus, however trials are encountering many obstacles.