Max hospital group to study use of HCQ: Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country, a private hospital group on Thursday announced that it will conduct a large-scale observational study involving the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) prophylaxis among its healthcare workers, including those taking care of COVID-19 patients.
In order to collect the seroepidemiological data, the study will be done by taking data from 1,000 healthcare workers employed at various facilities owned by Max Healthcare and Radiant Lifecare and study will be conducted on the effectiveness of HCQ as prophylaxis for coronavirus infection.
“The large-scale observational study will involve the use of hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis among its healthcare workers, including those taking care of COVID-19 positive patients,” as per the statement”.
The study will look at a large amount of data from healthcare workers and try to establish a correlation between the use of HCQ prophylaxis and the incidence of COVID-19 among healthcare workers. Based on the results of this study, Max Healthcare might decide to conduct a randomized control study of the HCQ prophylaxis.
Approved by ICMR, this would be the first study, involving COVID-19. This is also the first study from India to be registered on http://clinicaltrials.gov, a global registry for clinical trials, the hospital group claimed.
The clinicians and scientists community have been in a race to research various aspects of this disease to explore possible prevention and treatment aspects, ”Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is only clinical research that will help the prevention of the further spread of this disease.
Abhay Soi, Chairman Max Healthcare said, “We are hopeful that this will be our small but significant contribution in the global fight against COVID-19”. The results of the study are likely to be published in another three weeks.
“The main aim is to reach out to the maximum number of healthcare workers, follow up on incidence of COVID in them and understand the disease pattern in relation to HCQ in COVID prevention,” said Dr. Sujeet Jha, Principal Investigator, Principal Director, Endocrinology and Diabetes at Max Healthcare.
Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus cases in India moved higher to 23,077, showed figures released by the health ministry today morning. 1,684 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the past 24 hours. The death toll from coronavirus rose to 718 as 37 casualties reported in 24 hours. 4,748 people, who were infected with COVID-19, have been discharged or cured of the virus.
