NAFDAC to continue clinical trials of chloroquine for COVID -19 against WHO directive

As against the decision of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to suspend clinical trials of Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will continue the experiment in Nigeria, the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has said.

She said on Monday on a Lagos-based private broadcast station, TVC, programme, that there were proven records that Hydroxychloroquine had been effective in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially those at the “mild stage” of the virus.

The virus infected 276 more Nigerians on Monday, bringing the total infections to 8,344 with 2,385 persons discharged and 249 deaths spread across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

WHO on Monday announced the temporary suspension of the clinical trials of Hydroxychloroquine as a potential drug for the treatment of COVID-19. It said the decision followed a study that using the drug on patients could increase their chance of dying.

“The Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the Hydroxychloroquine arm within the Solidarity Trial while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board,” Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, had said.

He stressed that Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine “are accepted as generally safe for use in patients with autoimmune diseases or malaria,” noting that the suspension was a temporary measure.

But Adeyeye disagreed with the WHO’s position, saying: “There is data to prove that Hydroxychloroquine worked for many COVID-19 patients. Therefore, we would continue our own clinical trials in Nigeria. Hydroxychloroquine has been proved to work at a mild stage.

“So the potency depends on the severity of the disease in the patient’s body.”

According to her, Lagos State has already begun Hydroxychloroquine clinical trials and depending on the speed of work, the clinical trials should be concluded within four months.

“If medical doctors, research scientists, pharmacists, herbal experts work together, we should conclude the clinical trial in three to four months. The narrative might change afterwards but for now, we believe in Hydroxychloroquine,” she stated.