WHO discontinues hydroxychloroquine trial for hospitalized patients

The World Health Organization (WHO) has halted a trial which employed the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients.

However, the WHO in a statement on July 4 said it had "accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir".

The decision came after interim trial results showed that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care.

"The International Steering Committee formulated the recommendation in light of the evidence for hydroxychloroquine vs standard-of-care and for lopinavir/ritonavir vs standard-of-care from the Solidarity trial interim results, and from a review of the evidence from all trials presented at the 1-2 July WHO Summit on COVID-19 research and innovation," the statement said.

"These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect".

The decision applies only to the conduct of the Solidarity trial in hospitalized patients and does not affect the possible evaluation in other studies of hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir/ritonavir in non-hospitalized patients or as pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19, the WHO said.

This is the second time the WHO is halting a hydroxychloroquine trial.

In May, the WHO said that due to safety concerns, it was temporarily halting a clinical trial of the drug for COVID-19 patients.