WHO ‘strongly advises’ against hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19
An expert panel says the drug should be dropped as a research priority and has no 'meaningful effect' on mortality
A WHO expert panel has ‘strongly advised’ against the use of anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine for preventing COVID-19, saying research on the drug should cease.
A review of six randomised controlled trials involving 6000 people shows the drug has “no meaningful effect” on death and admission to hospital, according to the living guideline published in the BMJ Tuesday.
In addition, moderate-certainty evidence shows the drug has no impact on laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection and it probably increases the risk of adverse effects.
“We recommend against the use of hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis in individuals who do not have COVID-19 (strong recommendation; high certainty evidence),” the WHO Guideline Development Group wrote.
