WHO halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in Covid trials after failure to reduce deaths
The World Health Organization on Saturday said it is discontinuing solidarity trial of therapeutics hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir for coronavirus due to no significantly positive results.
Interim results from solidarity trials show hydroxychloroquine “produces little or no reduction in mortality of hospitalised Covid-19 patients,” said WHO. (Photo: Reuters)
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir in hospitalised patients with Covid-19 after they failed to reduce mortality.
“These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised Covid-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect,” the WHO said in a statement, referring to large multi-country trials that the agency is leading.
The UN agency said that the decision, taken on the recommendation of the trial’s international steering committee, does not affect other studies where the drugs are used for non-hospitalised patients or as prophylaxis.
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