Hydroxychloroquine is “useless” against Covid-19: Oxford Professor

UK has halted a major drug trial after British scientists found that the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine, was “useless” at treating Covid- 19 patients

The trial run by the University of Oxford has stopped enrolling patients with immediate effect saying “hydroxychloroquine does not benefit hospitalised Covid-19 patients” and “it did not reduce the risk of death.”

The Chief Investigators of the Randomised Evaluation of Covid-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial in UK, said a total of 1542 patients were randomised to hydroxychloroquine and compared with 3132 patients who were on usual care.

There was no significant difference in mortality benefits of those who took HCQ and those who did not.

Martin Landray, an Oxford University professor who is co-leading the RECOVERY trial, said, “This is not a treatment for COVID-19. It doesn’t work. This result should change medical practice worldwide. We can now stop using a drug that is useless.”

Earlier, Lancet raised safety concerns which led several Covid-19 studies of it to be halted. However, the Lancet study was then retracted on Thursday after its authors said they were unsure about its data.

But now the preliminary results from RECOVERY are quite clear and states that hydroxychloroquine does not reduce the risk of death among hospitalised patients with Covid-19.