DOH to continue hydroxychloroquine trial as WHO only stopped new allocations

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) clarified Wednesday that COVID-19 patients who were already taking the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine would continue to receive the treatment but would be required to undergo close monitoring.

To recall, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the suspension of the clinical trial for hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for COVID-19 due to safety concerns.

On Tuesday, Vergeire said the DOH would stop using the anti-malarial drug in the Solidarity Trial in the country in accordance with the WHO advisory.

But in a televised press briefing, the DOH official explained that WHO experts only suspended the administering of the drug to new patients and that patients already taking the drug could continue the treatment although under close monitoring.

“Kahapon po ay nagsalita na ang expert group ng WHO regarding this hydroxychloroquine na ang kanilang rekomendasyon na ay itigil na muna ang new allocations for the new patient,” Vergeire said.

(Yesterday the WHO expert group has already spoken about the hydroxychloroquine, their recommendation is to stop the new allocations for new patients.)

“Pero nagbigay din po sila ng kanilang rekomendasyon para doon po sa nag-a-undergo na ng trial for hydroxychloroquine, maaari naman pong ituloy ito ngunit kailangan ng close monitoring ng kanilang mga physicians at kailangan, of course, itigil kapag mayroong adverse event,” she added.

(They have also recommended that those who are already undergoing the trial for hydroxychloroquine can be continued but will be required to undergo close monitoring by their physicians and should, of course, be stopped when an adverse event occurs.)

Hydroxychloroquine was approved for treating lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and for preventing and treating malaria.

It was initially included in the clinical trial for COVID-19 treatment after some laboratories reported that it curbed the ability of the virus to enter the cells.