London: The largest trial of drug to cure the pandemic coronavirus has started in the United Kingdom (UK). The trial will be carried out on 5,000 patients in 165 state-run hospitals in the UK. Researchers are hoping that within a few weeks some positive news will emerge out of the trials. They are hoping that the drug to cure people from the dreaded COVID-19 will emerge from the trials. No doubt it is indeed some positive news to emerge in these gloomy times.
‘Recovery’ team expecting positive results
Peter Horby, a professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at Oxford University is leading the trials. “This is by far the largest trial in the world,” Horby has been quoted as saying by ‘The Guardian’. The scientist had also been involved in the drug trials that were carried out on patients infected by the ‘Ebola’ virus.
The ‘Recovery’ team expects to be the first to have definitive data. “We’re guessing sometime in June we may get the results,” professor Horby has said. “If it is really clear that there are benefits, an answer will be available quicker,” he added. Horby however has categorically stated that no one should expect a ‘miracle’ or ‘magic bullet’ in the fight against coronavirus.
Use of hydroxychloroquine
The team is working against a backdrop of doctors globally using drugs that they believe could be a cure for COVID-19. They have stated that the drugs are being used compassionately. However, till now, these doctors do not have any scientific evidence to back up the use of such ‘compassionate’ drugs. Donald Trump has backed hydroxychloroquine, a less toxic form of the old anti-malaria drug chloroquine. However, he has been warned by some top-notch medical professionals about the deadly side-effects hydroxychloroquine can have of coronavirus patients.
Hydroxychloroquine used with azithromycin could be ‘one of the biggest game-changers in the history of medicine’, Trump had earlier tweeted. Trump’s statement has been backed by French doctor Didier Raoult. The Frenchman has claimed that hydroxychloroquine in combination with ‘azithromycin’ an antibiotic can cure coronavirus. French President Emnanuel Macron has mutedly support Didier Raoult, but has also said ‘scientific evidence’ needs to be established.
No scientific evidence
The utility of hydroxychloroquine in curing COVID-19 patients is being propagated a lot in the social media . There are plenty of information about how patients have recovered after being administered hydroxychloroquine. However, Professor Horby, is not ready to buy these theories. He has said that there is no real evidence to support the use of hydroxychloroquine.
“I would say no,” Horby has been quoted as saying. “There is in-vitro evidence that it is inhibitory against the virus (in the lab). But I haven’t seen any sound clinical data. We’re seeing a large number of publications. Most of them are very disappointing. There was a paper that said it was a breakthrough – chloroquine works. However, there was zero data in it. It seems to follow in that vein,” Horby added.
Agencies