The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stopped hydroxychloroquine solidarity trials on Covid-19 patients, after it found that the drug is not beneficial in the treatment of the virus.
The WHO said the drug does not decrease the mortality rate of the virus, hence its decision to finally stop trials.
The health body had on May 25 announced temporary suspension of trials to conduct a safety review, after a medical study, TheLancet, suggested that the drug could increase the risk of patients dying from Covid-19.
In a tweet published on its verified twitter account, finally said, “The Solidarity Trial’s hydroxychloroquine arm is being stopped, on the basis of evidence showing it does not reduce mortality for hospitalised #COVID19 patients.”
The development also comes three days after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdrew its approval for the emergency use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, saying they may not be effective for the infection.
It also comes after the United States on withdrew emergency use authorisations for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine both favoured by Trump to treat the virus
Earlier this month, the Recovery Trial, a major trial run by the University of Oxford found hydroxychloroquine had no benefit for patients hospitalised with Covid-19.
The British trial said it would stop recruiting patients to be given hydroxychloroquine “with immediate effect”.
Available statistics shows that as at June 3, more than 3,500 patients have been recruited in 35 countries, with more than 400 hospitals actively recruiting patients.
