New Delhi: No major side-effects of antimalarial drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been found in studies in India and its use can be continued in preventive treatment for COVID-19 under strict medical supervision, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday.
The ICMR’s statement came against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) temporarily suspending the testing of the drug as a potential treatment for COVID-19 over safety concerns.
According to sources, the Union Health Ministry shot off an e-mail to the WHO on Monday night over its decision.
“It was conveyed to the WHO that perhaps all the reports have not been considered before suspending the trials. The same would be true of other drugs in the trial where differing reports are also coming. And the ICMR, which is leading the solidarity trials in India, has also not been consulted,” a source told PTI. On studies on HCQ in India, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said, “The COVID-19 is an evolving field and we do not know which drug is working and which is not working. Lots of drugs are being repurposed for COVID-19, whether for prophylaxis (treatment given or action taken to prevent disease) or for treatment of the disease.” “During these six weeks, we got some data in India, mainly observational studies and some case control studies. We found there were no major side-effects (of HCQ) except for nausea, vomiting, palpitation occasionally. Hence in our advisory, we’ve recommended that it should be continued for prophylaxis as there is no harm. Benefit may be there,” he told a press briefing here on Tuesday. He said it has been “clearly advised that HCQ should be taken with food, not on empty stomach”. “We also emphasized that one ECG should be done during the treatment. We expanded the use of HCQ from healthcare workers to front-line workers also, considering the potential benefits,” he added. (PTI)
