World Health Organisation (WHO) pauses hydroxycholoroquine arm in COVID-19 trial
Decision follows publication of an observational study on hydroxycholoroquine and chloroquine and effects on COVID-19 patients that have been hospitalised, which found a higher estimated mortality rate among patients receiving the drug, when used alone or with a macrolide.
Source:
PharmaTimes
SPS commentary:
The WHO's Solidarity study is comparing four treatment options for COVID-19 – Gilead's experimental antiviral remdesivir, AbbVie's HIV drug Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), MS drug interferon beta-1a and the antimalarials chloroquine