'Findings on safety & efficacy of hydroxychloroquine expected by mid-June': WHO

A day after suspending clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment, the World Health Organisation (WHO) promised a review of the data on the anti-malarial drug by mid-June. “A final decision on the harm, benefit or lack of benefit of hydroxychloroquine will be made once the evidence has been reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board,” WHO said in a statement. 

READ: Pause In WHO Hydroxychloroquine Testing

Details by mid-June

In a series of tweets, Director General of WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the executive group of COVID-19 Solidarity Trial had suspended trials using that drug as a precaution. "The review will consider data collected so far in the Solidarity and other trials, in particular robust randomised data, to evaluate the potential benefits and harms from the use of hydroxychloroquine. The other arms of the Solidarity trial are continuing," he tweeted.

"I wish to reiterate that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria. WHO will provide further updates as we know more," he added.

READ: ICMR Clarifies 'no Major Side-effects' Of Hydroxychloroquine, Advises To 'continue' Usage

WHO pauses HCQ trial 

The World Health Organisation (WHO)'s Executive Group, on Monday, decided to temporarily pause the Hydroxychlorine (HCQ) trial while the data collected so far is reviewed, announced WHO chief Dr Tedros in a press briefing. He added that the Executive Group's solidarity trial comprising of 10 countries will adequately evaluate the potential benefits and harms from this drug. Clarifying that the other arms of the trial were continuing, he added that the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine were generally safe for treating patients of autoimmune diseases or malaria.

READ: Hydroxychloroquine-azithromycin Combo May Be Potentially Lethal: Study

Dr. Ghebreyesus said that in light of a paper published last week in the Lancet that showed people taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems, there would be “a temporary pause” on the hydroxychloroquine arm of its global clinical trial. “This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19,” Tedros said, adding that the drugs are approved treatments for people with malaria or autoimmune diseases.

READ: Study Finds Hydroxychloroquine Increases Death Risk In COVID-19 Patients