18, June 2020
WHO halts hydroxychloroquine trial for Covid-19 over lack of proven benefit 0
The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that testing of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in its large multi-country trial of treatments for COVID-19 patients had been halted after new data and studies showed no benefit.
WHO expert Ana Maria Henao-Restrepo said investigators leading the so-called Solidarity Trial testing the drug – which had been promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump – had reviewed recent evidence and decided to stop recruiting new patients.
“After deliberation, they have concluded that the hydroxychloroquine arm will be stopped from the Solidarity Trial,” Henao-Restrepo told a media briefing.
In a statement issued later on Wednesday, the WHO said the decision was based on evidence from the Solidarity Trial itself, as well as from a UK-led trial that had found the drug did not help COVID-19 patients, and from a review of other evidence on hydroxychloroquine.
Data from those studies “showed that hydroxychloroquine does not result in the reduction of mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients,” the WHO statement said.
It said Solidarity Trial investigators would not add any more patients to the hydroxychloroquine arm.
But it added: “Patients who had already started hydroxychloroquine but who have not yet finished their course in the trial may complete their course or stop at the discretion of the supervising physician.”
Data from a UK-led clinical trial known as the Recovery trial found last week that the anti-malaria drug showed no benefit for patients with COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday revoked its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, saying it was no longer reasonable to believe that hydroxychloroquine and the related drug chloroquine would be effective in treating the disease.
Source: REUTERS
23, June 2020
Douala: Police seize huge quantity of fake medicines 0
Cameroon police said on Monday they have seized a “huge quantity” of fake anti-malaria medication chloroquine and nivaquine in Douala, the commercial capital.
Police commissioner, Richard Djonwe told reporters the operation was successfully carried out thanks to a tip-off from locals.
He said, thousands of the fake tablets were smuggled into the city from neighbouring Nigeria. Those suspects caught with the drugs have been remanded in custody.
Officials said Cameroon has seen a rise in the production and proliferation of fake chloroquine, as people rush to obtain the anti-malaria drug in the unproven belief it can prevent the infection of COVID-19.
Last week, police seized 41 cartons of fake paracetamol in the city, according to the police.
In April, health authorities in the country shut down six pharmaceutical companies that were producing and selling counterfeit drugs.
Source: Xinhuanet