WHO set to resume hydroxychloroquine trial to fight Coronavirus outbreak
Geneva: Investigations will continue into the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19, , WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
The drug, which is used to treat rheumatology conditions, was among four medicines being tested in a Solidarity Clinical Trial conducted by WHO and partners.
The Executive Group for the trial, representing 10 participating countries, put hydroxychloroquine on pause due to safety concerns. A monitoring committee has been reviewing related data.
“On the basis of the available mortality data, the members of the committee recommended that there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol”, said Tedros.
“The Executive Group received this recommendation and endorsed the continuation of all arms of the Solidarity Trial, including hydroxychloroquine.”
The Solidarity Clinical Trial was announced on 18 March: one week after the pandemic was declared, and 60 days after China shared the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus.
So far, more than 3,500 patients in 35 countries have been recruited.
The other treatments under study are remdesivir, previously tested as an Ebola treatment; lopinavir/ritonavir, which is a licensed treatment for HIV; and interferon beta-1a, a medicine for multiple sclerosis.
Support builds for ‘a people’s vaccine’
Relatedly, the UN and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on Wednesday called for governments and the private sector to unite towards developing “a people’s vaccine” against COVID-19.
They stressed that “no one should be left behind” in the race to identify the most effective means to defeat the virus.
“A people’s vaccine should protect the affluent in cities and the poor in rural communities, the old in care homes and the young in refugee camps”, they said.
“A global social contract for a people’s vaccine against COVID-19 is a moral imperative that brings us all together in our shared humanity.”
The partners said unity and commitment towards this common goal should also spark global resolve to sustain immunization against preventable diseases.
As UN agencies have reported, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries to suspend or curtail routine childhood immunization programmes, putting some 80 million young lives at risk.
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