RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After analyzing a study published by the medical-scientific journal The Lancet, Tedros Ghebreyesus Adhanom, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director General, announced yesterday, June 3rd, during a press conference that the group in charge of clinical trials of substances capable of fighting the novel coronavirus will resume its testing protocols with chloroquine and its latest variant, hydroxychloroquine.
“As you know, last week the Executive Solidarity Testing Group [name given to the research group seeking effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2] decided to suspend hydroxichloroquine trials for concern over the drug’s use. This was a precautionary decision. Based on the available data, the members recommended that there are no reasons to suspend the testing protocol,” Tedros said.
After a 10-day suspension (the announcement was made March 25th), testing with hydroxychloroquine will be resumed with 3,500 patients in 35 countries, the Director General said. Several world experts had already spoken out against the data mining methodology used by Surgisphere – the company in charge of collecting figures for the Lancet study. “The WHO is committed to expediting the development of effective therapies, vaccines and diagnostics [against Covid-19] as part of our commitment to serve the world with science, problem solving and solidarity,” he said.
The decision follows the announcement of a donation of hydroxychloroquine tablets to Brazil by the United States. US President Donald Trump also sent mechanical ventilators.