‘No major side-effects of HCQ’: ICMR after WHO suspends drug testing

ICMR DG Balram Bhargava said hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was advised after biological plausibility, in-vitro studies showed it had anti-viral property. “We had thought it would be an effective drug for preventing Covid,” Balram said. “The COVID-19 is an evolving field and we do not know which drug is working and which is not working. Lot of drugs are being repurposed for COVID-19, whether for prophylaxis or for treatment of COVID-19. We found there were no major side affects except for nausea, vomiting, palpitation occasionally. Hence in our advisory we have recommended that it should be continued for prophylaxis as there is no harm. Benefit may be there,” ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said.