The World Health Organisation (WHO is set to restart clinical trials for the drug hydroxychloroquine in its race to find possible vaccines for the novel coronavirus.
The WHO on May 25 temporarily suspended the trials to conduct a safety review, which has now concluded there is “no reason” to change the way the trials are conducted.
The UN health agency’s decision came after a study published in The Lancet medical journal suggesting the drug could increase the risk of death among COVID-19 patients.
“Last week, the executive group of the Solidarity Trial decided to implement a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm of the trial, because of concerns raised about the safety of the drug,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news briefing.
“This decision was taken as a precaution while the safety data were reviewed.
“The data safety and monitoring committee of the Solidarity Trial has been reviewing the 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.
“The executive group received this recommendation and endorsed continuation of all arms of the Solidarity Trial, including hydroxychloroquine.
More than 3,500 patients have been recruited across 35 countries to take part in the trials.
