After WHO Finds Remdesivir, HCQ Being Ineffective, India To Review COVID-19 Treatment Protocol

A day after the interim results of ¡®WHO Solidarity Trial' indicate that four repurposed drugs for COVID-19 remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on reducing mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay, India is set to reassess its COVID-19 treatment protocol.

Reuters

A senior official in the Union ministry of health and family welfare told Hindustan Times that the protocol will be reviewed in the next joint task force meeting headed by Dr VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog, and director general, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Balram Bhargava.

India was also a part of the trial that was conducted on 11,300 participants across 30 countries and had a similar result.

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"The trial tested four repurposed drugs: Remdesivir, Interferon, Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Hydroxychloroquine. Interim analysis showed that no benefits of Remdesivir in any groups of COVID-19 (asymptomatic/ mild/ moderate/ severe/ critical) patients."

"The trial comprised 26 actively randomising sites with 937 participants in India. We are grateful to the trial participants and their families for contributing to these crucial findings," said Dr Samiran Panda, Head, ICMR Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases (ECD), and Director, ICMR-NARI in a statement.

The ICMR has succeeded in conducting this large randomised controlled study even during a pandemic situation and earlier lockdown. The study reliably answers critical public health questions concerning therapeutics.

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"Earlier, ICMR conducted PLACID trial for convalescent plasma indicating no benefit of it in COVID-19 treatment," the apex health research body said.

The findings hold significance as the use of remdesivir (for restricted emergency use purposes) has been recommended for treating coronavirus patients in moderate stage of the illness as ¡°investigational therapies" in Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 issued by the Union health ministry.

Other uses of the drugs, for example, in treatment of patients in the community or for prevention, would have to be examined using different trials, the WHO said.