The anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is under spotlight for its anti-viral properties that could probably fight Covid-19 disease, is now embroiled in fresh controversy. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently announced temporary suspension of HCQ trials as a precaution till more safety data is available on the drug, the Indian regulatory body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued fresh guidelines for administration of HCQ to asymptomatic health care workers.
The ICMR recommended that HCQ can be administered to high risk groups like health care workers for prevention from getting infected with SARS-CoV-2. The WHO, on the other hand, decided to stop HCQ clinical trials for treatment of Covid patients based on an observational study of 96,000 patients drawn from six continents, published in the respected medical journal The Lancet.
While The Lancet study said that there was higher mortality rate and increased frequency of irregular heartbeats among those who received HCQ, the ICMR on its part has maintained that there is ‘biological plausibility of anti-viral drug’ in HCQ drug.
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The Director General of ICMR, Dr Balram Bhargava on Tuesday said that in-vitro (within a test tube) studies taken-up at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune have produced data supporting anti-viral properties of HCQ. Moreover, observational studies of ICMR on health care workers treating Covid patients at AIIMS and three Government hospitals in New Delhi has indicated that HCQ was beneficial. Based on the NIV in-vitro studies and observational study at Government hospitals, ICMR said that HCQ might be beneficial.
Based on this data, ICMR broadened its guidelines to add more categories of health care workers and staff from other departments like police, who can be now be administered with HCQ. Earlier, HCQ was meant only for asymptomatic health care workers directly involved in the care of confirmed Covid-19 patients and asymptomatic household contacts of positive patients.
Gandhi Hospital suspends use of HCQ
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The mixed messaging from WHO and ICMR on the utility of HCQ has forced health officials in Telangana State to temporarily stop administration of the drug.
“We have been coming across numerous reports about the side effects and at the same time about the advantages of the HCQ in managing Covid positive patients. We must also accept that there is lack of clarity on the issue and that’s why we have decided to stop administering HCQ. We will wait for more guidelines and clarity to emerge,” said Dr M Raja Rao, Superintendent, Gandhi Hospital, the nodal centre for Covid-19 positive patients.