The decision by the WHO to temporarily suspend hydroxychloroquine from its study follows a paper published in The Lancet last week which suggested it might actually increase the risk for Covid 19 patients.
In a study of 96,000 coronavirus patients, almost 15,000 were given hydroxychloroquine – or a related form chloroquine – either alone or with an antibiotic.
It found that death rates for those treated with hydroxychloroquine were 18%, compared with 16.4% for chloroquine and 9% for the control group.
Those treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine in combination with antibiotics had an even higher death rate.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that, in light of the research, there would be “a temporary pause” on the hydroxychloroquine arm of its global clinical trial.
Other treatments in the study, including the experimental anti – viral drug remdesivir,which was originally developed to combat ebola, and an HIV combination therapy, are still being pursued.
Last week, Donald Trump said he was taking the anti-malarial drug, which he has promoted as providing possible protection from coronavirus despite warnings from health officials that it could cause heart problems.
