(World) – Within the next 24 hours, the World Health Organization (WHO) will have enough information to make a decision regarding whether to continue the suspension of the hydroxychloroquine trial for use against coronavirus, according to WHO’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.
Swaminathan’s comments come not long after WHO paused its large hydroxychloroquine drug study for the treatment of COVID-19 owing to concerns regarding increased death rates and irregular heartbeats in patients.
Several European governments have already banned the use of the drug, which is anti-malarial and is also used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Hydroxychloroquine was also promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to help combat COVID-19.
Sanofi has temporarily suspended the recruitment of new COVID-19 patients for its two hydroxychloroquine clinical trials citing that it would no longer supply it to treat COVID-19 until safety concerns have been addressed.
(Photo syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.