New Delhi: The Center has refused to provide funds for randomized control trials of the anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, among health workers. Instead, it only approved an observational study of the drug's efficacy.
Randomized controlled trials are meant to evaluate the performance of a drug between two groups of people under ideal conditions while observational studies examine its effects in only one group under real-world settings.
Observational studies are considered of poor quality in scientific research:
George Institute of Public Health proposed a random control trial among 10,000 health workers in collaboration with doctors from St. John's Medical College, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Apollo Hospitals.
The objective was to determine whether a strategy of prophylaxis with HCQ weekly for three months reduced the risk of acquiring symptomatic Covid-19 infection.
But the proposal between ICMRR and the Department of Biotechnology under UMST government agencies did not find favor.
On 23 March, the ICMR issued an advisory asking all high-risk individuals to take HCQs as an antidote. But since then, there is increasing evidence that the drug may not be useful for the treatment of the disease and can also be harmful.
HCQ is known as a cardio-toxicity effect for many people and can also be fatal for cardiovascular diseases such as a history of prolonged QT intervals. A study published in The Lancet on Friday found associations between use of HCQ and increased rates of mortality and cardiac arrhythmia among Covid-19 patients.
GIPH Executive Director Vivekananda Jha said, "Although DBT turned down the proposal, as ICMR has already started an observational study to assess the risk, ICMR convened a meeting to discuss it and then it was canceled. "
The office of DBT secretary, Renu Swaroop said that a high-level committee did not recommend the project as it falls under the domain of ICMR.
While ICMR Director General Balaram Bhargava could not be reached for comment, the council's chief epidemiologist RR Gangakhedkar told the media earlier this week that it was "reviewing" earlier guidelines.
COVID-19: No government to finance hydroxychloroquine testing among health workers
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020
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Reviewed by Aapka Guide
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Tuesday, May 26, 2020
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