WHO suspends HCQ clinical trial on COVID-19 patients

The World Health Organisation temporarily suspended the clinical trial of malarial drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of coronavirus. He said that people taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those that were not.

Geneva: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Director-General, said that the clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on COVID-19 patients has come to 'a temporary pause', while the safety data of the anti-malaria drug was being reviewed.

According to the WHO chief, The Lancet medical journal on May 22 had published an observational study on HCQ and chloroquine and its effects on COVID-19 patients that have been hospitalized.

The authors of the study reported that among patients receiving the drug, when used alone or with a macrolide, they estimated a higher mortality rate.

"The Executive Group of the Solidarity Trial, representing 10 of the participating countries, met on Saturday (May 23) and has agreed to review a comprehensive analysis and critical appraisal of all evidence available globally," Tedros said in a virtual press conference on Monday.

The review will consider data collected so far in the Solidarity Trial and in particular robust randomized available data, to adequately evaluate the potential benefits and harms from this drug, he said.