One More Negative Study of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19

A randomized U.K. trial published in October showed that hydroxychloroquine was ineffective for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (NEJM JW Gen Med Nov 15 2020 and N Engl J Med 2020 Oct 8; [e-pub].). Now, we also have data from a multicenter U.S. randomized trial, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health: Nearly 500 COVID-19 patients who had been hospitalized for fewer than 48 hours and who had respiratory symptoms for fewer than 10 days received hydroxychloroquine or placebo. At enrollment, 19% of patients were in intensive care units.

At 14 and 28 days, no differences were noted between the hydroxychloroquine and placebo groups in mortality or in various other indicators of disease severity.