"All hydroxychloroquine trials in COVID-19 remain under close review" while investigators assess any further risks, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said in an email to Reuters. Medicines agencies in France and Italy said the drug should not be used for COVID-19 outside clinical trials. Italian health authorities concluded that the risks, coupled with little evidence hydroxychloroquine was beneficial against COVID-19, merited a ban outside of clinical trials. The WHO said a safety panel would evaluate by mid-June the drug's use in its multi-country trial of potential COVID-19 treatments. It also warned in April, that for safety reasons, the drug should be used only for hospitalised COVID-19 patients or those in clinical trials.

Source: bd News24 May 27, 2020 20:03 UTC