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The World Health Organisation has discontinued the use of hydroxychloroquine trials for COVID-19 treatment.

WHO said it halted the drug’s trial based on the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms.

The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalised patients.

In a statement on Saturday via its website, WHO stated that the International Steering Committee formulated the recommendation in light of the evidence for hydroxychloroquine vs standard-of-care and for lopinavir/ritonavir vs standard-of-care from the Solidarity trial interim results, and from a review of the evidence from all trials presented at the WHO Summit on COVID-19 research and innovation held on July 1-2.

WHO said, “These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalised COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect.

“For each of the drugs, the interim results do not provide solid evidence of increased mortality. There were, however, some associated safety signals in the clinical laboratory findings of the add-on Discovery trial, a participant in the Solidarity trial. These will also be reported in the peer-reviewed publication.”

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WHO discontinues hydroxychloroquine trials for COVID-19