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 The study largely confirms results from a clinical trial in June
that showed hydroxychloroquine was ineffective in preventing
infection among people exposed to the new coronavirus.
Trump began backing hydroxychloroquine early in the pandemic and
told reporters in May he started taking the drug after two White
House staffers tested positive for COVID-19. Studies have found the
drug to offer little benefit as a treatment.
In the study of 125 participants, four who had taken
hydroxychloroquine as a preventative treatment for eight weeks
contracted COVID-19, and four on placebo tested positive for the
virus.
All eight were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that did not
require hospitalization, according to the results published in the
JAMA Internal Medicine journal.
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The research shows that routine use of the drug cannot be recommended among
healthcare workers to prevent COVID-19, researchers from the University of
Pennsylvania said.
The study authors said it was possible that a trial conducted in a community
with higher prevalence of the disease could allow detection of a greater benefit
from the drug.
In the latest trial, which was terminated before it could reach its enrollment
target of 200 participants, mild side effects such as diarrhea were more common
in participants taking the malaria drug compared to placebo.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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