Geneva: After dropping hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) from its global study into COVID-19 treatments, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has done a rethink and has decided to resume the HCQ arm of Solidarity Trail.
Briefing the media yesterday from Geneva, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed, “The Executive Group of the Solidarity Trial decided to implement a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial, because of concerns raised about the safety of the drug. This decision was taken as a precaution while the safety data were reviewed.”
He further added, “The Data Safety and Monitoring Committee of the Solidarity Trial has been reviewing the data. On the basis of the available mortality data, the members of the committee recommended that there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol. The Executive Group received this recommendation and endorsed the continuation of all arms of the Solidarity Trial, including hydroxychloroquine. The Executive Group will communicate with the principal investigators in the trial about resuming the hydroxychloroquine arm.”
WHO had dropped HCQ based on a medical research report in The Lancet that showed people taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were at a higher risk of death and heart-related problems than those who were not taking HCQ.
