This announcement comes as the government on Wednesday repealed the derogations authorizing the prescription of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 in hospitals in France, excluding clinical trials, following an unfavorable opinion from the Haut Conseil de la santé public.
Lstarted in early april, the study on the efficacy of a chloroquine derivative was temporarily put on hold. Wednesday May 27, lhe Angers University Hospital (Maine-et-Loire) announced the suspension of this study in order to “respect the precautionary principle”. A decision following the abandonment of prescriptions of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 in the hospital.
“The study is suspended, it is not canceled”, told AFP the communications directorate of the Angers university hospital. “We are in discussion with the health authorities”.
At the end of March, the Angers University Hospital announced the launch of a large study “to the highest scientific and methodological standards” to cover 1,300 patients with Covid-19, in order to “close the debate” on the efficacy of a chloroquine derivative. The Angevin study, called Hycovid, was carried out with around forty hospitals all over France, said the CHU. Until now, “about 250 people were included in the study” with conditions of participation “quite drastic”, said the Angers University Hospital to AFP.
However, the government repealed on Wednesday the derogating provisions authorizing the prescription of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 in hospitals in France, excluding clinical trials, following an unfavorable opinion from the High Council for Public Health (HCSP) ). Seized by the Minister of Health Olivier Véran, the HCSP had indeed recommended Tuesday to “do not use hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of Covid-19”, excluding clinical trials, whether alone or in combination with an antibiotic.
Asked about hypothetical first lessons from the study, the Angers University Hospital said that “the independent control body had told us a few days ago to continue the study because there was no convincing result leading to stop or redirect the study. We had this endorsement a few days ago”, said the CHU.
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