The World Health Organization has temporarily suspended its clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine, a drug used to prevent or treat malaria that U.S. President Donald Trump has backed to combat the novel coronavirus.
During a virtual press conference on Monday, the U.N. health agency's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, explained that the suspension came as a precautionary measure amid safety concerns, but stressed the drug is still generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria.
Last week, the Lancet medical journal reported that patients with COVID-19 receiving the drug and the anti-malarial chloroquine were at higher risk of death.
The WHO said it will continue to pursue experimental trials on other potential treatments such as remdesivir and an HIV combination therapy.
Trump told reporters earlier this month he was taking hydroxychloroquine to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus, despite reports of its severe side effects, saying he heard "a lot of good stories" about it.
In an interview with the Sinclair Broadcasting network on Sunday, Trump defended his decision to take the unproven medication.
Trump said he had "just finished" a two-week course of the drug, adding "and by the way, I'm still here."
<Photo: Yonhap News>
