WHO halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in COVID trials after failure to reduce death
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS JULY 4, 2020 / 1:55 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
WHO halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in COVID trials after failure to reduce death
Stephanie Nebehay
3 MIN READ
GENEVA (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.
The setback came as the WHO also reported more than 200,000 new cases globally of the disease for the first time in a single day. The United States accounted for 53,213 of the total 212,326 new cases recorded on Friday, the WHO said.
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 multicountry trials that the agency is leading.
The U.N. agency said the decision, taken on the recommendation of the trials international steering committee, does not affect other studies where those drugs are used for non-hospitalised patients or as a prophylaxis.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who-drugs/who-halts-hydroxychloroquine-hiv-drugs-in-covid-trials-after-failure-to-reduce-death-idUSKBN2450OJ