India says hydroxychloroquine coronavirus trials 'may be working' despite WHO pause

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief said on Tuesday that observational studies show the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine may be working to treat coronavirus patients and that India would not deny it to frontline care workers despite the WHO suspending trials for the drug. The Director General of ICMR told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday that the possible benefits of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) outweighed the risks. He said risks for the drug included nausea, vomiting, and palpitations in isolated cases. The Director General of the World Health Organization also said on Monday that the clinical trials of HCQ would be suspended, citing concerns over safety. India has also been exporting the drug to the U.S., where it has been touted by U.S. President Donald Trump and others as a possible treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The U.S. president has said he was taking the drug to help prevent infection.