The World Health Organization suspended its own trial into the drug, citing data from Britain and elsewhere
A shopper walks past a graffiti thanking essential workers, in Leicester city of England, on Tuesday. Pic/AFP
Britain’s medical regulatory agency has approved the resumption of a trial testing whether hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), the malaria drug favoured by US President Donald Trump, might help prevent health workers from contracting the novel Coronavirus.
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The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency had suspended enrollment into the trial after a paper was published in the journal Lancet last month that suggested there was an increased death risk linked to the drug. The paper was found to be based on fraudulent data and was retracted.
The World Health Organization suspended its own trial into the drug, citing data from Britain and elsewhere. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said it had approved the resumption of an ongoing clinical trial testing the use of the drug in health workers.
3,11,965
No. of COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom
43,575
No. of COVID-19 deaths in the United Kingdom
New Zealand cancels 2021 APEC summit
New Zealand on Tuesday canceled its plans to host a major meeting of US and Asian leaders next year because of the pandemic, opting instead to lead a virtual summit.
New Zealand was scheduled to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Auckland. The event would have brought thousands of people to the country throughout the year, culminating in a leader’s week in November 2021.
APEC focuses on trade issues, although it also provides a chance for world leaders to catch up. New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said it was necessary to cancel next year’s summit now for planning and security reasons.
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