WHO pauses hydroxychloroquine trials to fight coronavirus due to health concerns

The World Health Organization on Monday decided to temporarily suspended its trial of hydroxychloroquine to combat the deadly coronavirus over safety concerns.

“The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a news briefing.

“The other arms of the trial are continuing,” Tedros said. “This concern relates to the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloraquine in Covid-19. I wish to reiterate that these drugs are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria.”

The drug has been repeatedly backed by US President Donald Trump who calls it a game changer in fighting the new Covid-19 disease.

He even told reporters earlier in May that he has been taking the drug to avoid contracting the disease.

“I happen to be taking it,” Trump said during a roundtable event at the White House.

“A lot of good things have come out. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the front-line workers. Before you catch it. The front-line workers, many, many are taking it.”