The World Health Organization on Wednesday, 3 June, said the hydroxychloroquine coronavirus trials will resume, days after the organisation had said it was putting its solidarity trial on HCQ and chloroquine on a temporary 'pause' to review its benefits and harms, news agency AFP reported.
At a press conference at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "On the basis of the available mortality data, the members of the committee recommended that there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol."
He added:
“The Executive Group received this recommendation and endorsed continuation of all arms of the solidarity trial, including hydroxychloroquine.”
The world health body had temporarily suspended the usage of HCQ from the solidarity trial for coronavirus treatment on 25 May soon after a study published in one of the most reliable medical journals had suggested that the drug could cause more fatalities among COVID-19 patients.
However, the WHO chief said the decision was taken as a precaution while the safety data was reviewed. Ghebreyesus also said the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee will continue to closely monitor the safety of all therapeutics being tested in the solidarity trial.
Soon after HCQ was suspended from the trial, the Indian government had said the antimalarial drug has been known for its benefits for a very long time and its usage will be continued on the frontline workers including police and healthcare professionals for prophylaxis.
The government had also said studies were being conducted and the drug would be included in the clinical trial for the treatment of coronavirus disease. US President Donald Trump had also strongly advocated the use of HCQ and called it a "game-changer". He went to the extent of saying that he had taken the medicine.
(With inputs from IANS)
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