New Delhi (NVI): The anti-viral drug Remdesivir and several others have little or no effect in the recovery and mortality of COVID-19 patients, according to a WHO study.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the ‘Solidarity Therapeutics Trial’ has generated conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of repurposed drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 in record time of just six months.
The study, which spans more than 30 countries, looked at the effects of these treatments on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation, and duration of hospital stay in patients.
Other uses of the drugs in treatment of patients in the community or for prevention, would have to be examined using different trials, it added.
Moreover, the results from the study indicate that Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Interferon regimens appeared to have little or no effect on 28-day mortality or the in-hospital course of COVID-19 among hospitalised patients.
“These–remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir and Interferon regimens — appeared to have little or no effect on hospitalised COVID-19 patients, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation and duration of hospital stay,” the study said.
The interim results from the world’s largest randomised control trial on COVID-19 therapeutics have been uploaded as preprint at medRxiv, the WHO said, adding that the results are under review for publication in a medical journal.
However, the study was conducted in 405 hospitals across 30 countries which involved 11,266 adults.
The organization further said that the global platform of the Solidarity Trial is ready to rapidly evaluate promising new treatment options, with nearly 500 hospitals open as trial sites. Also, newer antiviral drugs, immunomodulators and anti-SARS COV-2 monoclonal antibodies are now being considered for evaluation, it noted.
-RJV
