PARIS/LONDON/MILAN (Reuters) - European governments moved on Wednesday to halt the use of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 patients, and a second global trial was suspended, further blows to hopes for a treatment promoted by U.S.
After early reports that it might help some patients, regulators in several countries had allowed hydroxychloroquine to be used as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
Medicines agencies in France and Italy said the drug should not be used for COVID-19 outside clinical trials.
Belgium’s regulator said trials aiming to evaluate the drug should also take potential risks into consideration.
Italian health authorities concluded that the risks, coupled with little evidence hydroxychloroquine was beneficial against COVID-19, merited a ban outside of clinical trials.
It also warned in April, that for safety reasons, the drug should be used only for hospitalized COVID-19 patients or those in clinical trials.
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