THE World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday announced the resumption of clinical trials of the anti-malaria drug – Hydroxychloroquine – to determine its efficacy in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
It concluded that there was no cogent reason to halt the drug use for trial based on review of available data by its Safety Committee.
On May 25, the WHO temporarily halted the use of Hydroxychloroquine for its ongoing solidarity trial based on a publication by Lancet over safety concerns. The report cited high mortality (death) due to the use of Hydroxychloroquine and had toxicities inpatients with COVID-19.
Speaking during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in Abuja, the Country Representative of the organisation, Dr. Fiona Braka, said “the suspension was taken as a precautionary measure pending review of all the safety data by the solidarity trial Data Safety Monitoring Committee.
This suspension lasted about eight days. But the National Agency for Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) declined to stop clinical trial in Nigeria.