NHS to test Trump medication despite WHO safety warning

THE NHS is to press ahead with the trial of a controversial drug endorsed by Donald Trump, despite warnings by the World Health Organisation that it makes death from coronavirus more likely.

The Oxford University-led trial of hydroxychloroquine, originally a malaria drug, was hailed by Matt Hancock in April as a “major milestone” in the battle against Covid-19. However, results of an international study by the WHO, published last week, indicate that it increases the chances of death for patients admitted to hospital by nine to 21 per cent.

The organisation suspended its trial on Monday, citing safety concerns.

But last night leaders of the Oxfordled Recovery trial, which operates in NHS hospitals, said they would continue on the basis their data did not show an increased risk.

The US president has repeatedly backed use of hydroxychloroquine, despite warnings from officials in his administration that its safety and effectiveness was not proven.

Last week he told reporters at the White House that he had been taking the drug as a preventive measure.

His enthusiasm has been echoed by Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil.

Two separate UK trials investigating hydroxychloroquine as a means of preventing catching Covid-19 have now been suspended after an intervention by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. But Prof Peter Horby, who is involved in running Recovery,

where hydroxychloroquine is offered to Covid-19 patients in hospitals, defended the trial.

He said the WHO study had not properly adjusted for the fact that patients who died after taking the drug were more likely to die in the first place due to the severity of their disease.

“Since Recovery patients are randomised, our data are much less vulnerable to the biases that plague studies that use routine healthcare data,” he said. “An independent committee has looked at our data and did not see any safety concerns.”