WHO Temporarily Suspends Trials Of Hydroxychloroquine Against COVID-19 Citing Safety Concerns

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has suspended all testing activity involving the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients citing safety concerns, reports Hindustan Times.

The development was announced by WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus yesterday (25 May) in an online briefing. He, however, mentioned that the suspension was temporary by nature and that the safety data is being reviewed by the data safety monitoring board.

The concerns were also backed by the head of WHO's emergencies programme Dr Mike Ryan who underscored that the decision to suspend the solidarity trials of hydroxychloroquine has been taken by the executive group of WHO out of "an abundance of caution."

It should be noted that the drug has been touted by the United States (US)' President Donald Trump and several others as a potential treatment for COVID-19 disease. President Trump had gone as far as to assert that he was taking the drug to help prevent the disease.