WHO Will Resume Hydroxychloroquine Trial

After a temporary hiatus, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday that it will resume a clinical trial that is looking into the effectiveness of using anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.

During a media briefing, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the trial will pick back up after it was temporarily stopped over possible safety concerns.

Enrollment in the HCQ part of the organization’s Solidarity Trial was put on pause after a study published in The Lancet medical journal said the drug was linked to higher death rates in hospitalized coronavirus patients and possible heart issues.

But leading scientists and experts have called the study out as flawed.

Tedros said WHO’s safety committee reviewed mortality data and decided "there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol."

Tedros said WHO will work on resuming the HCQ component of the trial. He said more than 3,500 patients have been recruited for the Solidarity Trial in 35 countries. The goal of the trial is to find an effective coronavirus treatment.

President Donald Trump has touted hydroxychloroquine as a “game changer” in treating coronavirus. He announced he took the medication prophylactically last month.

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