The ICMR has “made it clear that HCQ should be taken with food and not on an empty stomach”.
New Delhi:
Indian researchers have found no major side effects from hydroxychloroquine or HCQ and its use should be continued in the preventive treatment of COVID-19, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday.
The statement from the main medical agency comes a day after the World Health Organization (WHO) said it temporarily suspended testing of the antimalarial drug in patients with coronavirus in its global study due to safety concerns.
“COVID-19 is an evolving field and we do not know which drug works and which does not work. Many drugs are reused for COVID-19, whether for prophylaxis or for the treatment of COVID-19” , “Director General of ICMR” Balram Bhargava said, according to the PTI news agency.
“We found that there were no major side effects except nausea, vomiting, palpitations occasionally. Therefore, in our opinion, we recommended that it be continued for prophylaxis because there is no harm. The benefit may be there, “he said.
He said it was “clearly advised to take HCQ with food, not on an empty stomach”.
“We also stressed that an ECG (electrocardiogram) should be done during treatment. We have also extended the use of HCQ from healthcare workers to frontline workers, given the potential benefits,” he said. he adds.
Hydroxychloroquine has been presented by Donald Trump and others as a possible treatment for the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The President has said he is taking the drug to help prevent infection.
However, in an online briefing on Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The executive group has put in place a temporary break from the hydroxychloroquine arm as part of the Solidarity trial while the data security are reviewed by the Data Security Oversight Committee. “
He said the other arms of the trial – a major international initiative to organize clinical trials of potential treatments for the virus – are continuing.
The WHO has previously recommended not to use hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent coronavirus infections, except in clinical trials.
Dr Mike Ryan, head of the WHO emergency program, said the decision to suspend testing for hydroxychloroquine was taken “out of prudence”.
(With agency contributions)
