Geneva [Switzerland], Saturday: The World Health Organisation has halted its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination of HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients after they failed to reduce the death rate, Al Jazeera reported.
The WHO was quoted as saying in a statement, “These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients when compared to the standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect,”.
It has been further added by the WHO that this decision will now also affect the other studies where the drugs are being used for non-hospitalised or as prophylaxis.The WHO has reported a total of 212,326 new cases of coronavirus globally in 24 hours.
