BREAKING NEWS: WHO says it is SUSPENDING its trial of anti-malaria drug hydoxychloroquine in coronavirus patients citing safety concerns
- Hydroxychloroquine is most typically used to treat malaria, lupus and arthritis
- The WHO has been testing the drug as part of its Solidarity trial looking at the safety and efficacy of four medications against coronavirus
- But a study on Friday revealed higher mortality rates among COVID-19 patients who took the drug
- On Monday, the WHO announced it was suspending the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial over safety concerns
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
A clinical trial of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in coronavirus patients has been suspends amid safety concerns.
The drug has been touted by President Donald Trump and he even revealed he took the medication for two weeks as a prophylactic.
But the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was concerned after a study from The Lancet published on Friday revealed higher mortality rates among COVID-19 patients who took the drug.
Therefore, researchers said they’re suspending use of hydroxychloroquine in the WHO’s Solidarity Trial, which is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations against the virus.
‘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,’ WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.
However, the other arms of the trial are continuing.
Health officials have sent hydroxychloroquine to 56 hospitals across New York to treat as many as 4,000 seriously ill coronavirus patients (file image)
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.