Hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir fail to reduce COVID-19 mortality ― WHO

The World Health Organization, WHO, over the weekend said it has discontinued the hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir treatment arms for COVID-19 following the result of its interim trial which showed that the drugs produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care.

The WHO also confirmed a new record of 212,326 new cases of the viral infection worldwide on July 4, 2020.

Announcing the suspension of the trial in a press statement, the health agency said it had established the Solidarity trial to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalised patients, saying, it has “accepted the recommendation” from the International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial for hydroxychloroquine, as well as HIV/AIDS medications lopinavir and ritonavir, because they failed to reduce COVID-19 mortality.

WHO accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and the lopinavir/ritonavir arms.

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— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 4, 2020