After a weeklong review of safety data, the World Health Organization announced today that it’s ending a “pause” in the use of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine in an international clinical trial of potential therapies for COVID-19.
- Hydroxychloroquine was originally included in WHO’s multi-drug trial — but its use was suspended after an observational study published in The Lancet suggested that it increased the risk of death due to heart problems. Now the study has been retracted by three of its authors, who say they can “no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources.”
- The Guardian and Science magazine report that the questions focus on the integrity of the data provided by Surgisphere, a little-known health care analytics company. In a statement, Surgisphere said “we stand behind the integrity of our studies and our scientific researchers, clinical partners and data analysts.”
- Hydroxychloroquine has received widespread attention in part because of its endorsement by President Donald Trump, who took the drug for two weeks last month to stave off infection. More definitive findings about hydroxychloroquine’s effects relating to COVID-19 are expected to come from U.S. clinical trials, some of which involve the University of Washington.
- Today, a study being published by The New England Journal of Medicine finds that hydroxychloroquine was no better than a placebo for heading off COVID-19 after exposure to the virus. The study also finds no increase in serious heart problems.
Update for 12:30 p.m. PT June 4: We’ve updated this report with the retraction from The Lancet.