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The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the temporary suspension of testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for coronavirus patients.
The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement during a news conference on Monday.
Ghebreyesus said 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.
“As you know, more than two months ago we initiated the Solidarity Trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations against COVID-19,” he said.
“Over 400 hospitals in 35 countries are actively recruiting patients and nearly 3500 patients have been enrolled from 17 countries.
“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 Executive Group of the Solidarity Trial, representing 10 of the participating countries, met on Saturday and has agreed to review a comprehensive analysis and critical appraisal of all evidence available globally.
“The review will consider data collected so far in the Solidarity Trial and in particular robust randomised available data, to adequately evaluate the potential benefits and harms from this drug.
The decision to suspend trials of hydroxychloroquine, according to Mike Ryan, head of the WHO emergencies programme, had been taken out of “an abundance of caution”.
The health agency of the United Nations however stated that other arms of the WHO’s “Solidarity Trial” – a large international initiative to hold clinical tests of potential treatments for the virus – would continue.
