Nine Malaysian hospitals to work with WHO for drug trials on COVID-19

With the growing COVID-19 crisis, various initiatives are being taken worldwide where numerous organizations of various scale and are contributing as much as they can towards the efforts. The WHO, the biggest global authority responsible for international public health, is planning a solidarity trial to test various drugs that could help fight the coronavirus.

In a recent press release, the WHO, in collaboration with the Health Ministry of Malaysia, announced that the country has been selected to be a participant in the “Solidarity Trial”. Nine hospitals across Malaysia have been selected and would very soon initiate drug testing for coronavirus.   

Health Director-General, Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah stated that the Health Ministry has expedited the process to conduct drug testing for the treatment of coronavirus patients. The trials would be conducted under the safety standards that are set by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.

Dr. Noor further added that the participation of Malaysia in this global trial might help discover life-saving medicines to combat COVID-19 by evaluating their effectiveness and safety. Clinical Research Malaysia and Institute for Clinical Research of the Health Ministry of Malaysia would also help with the implementation of drug trials across the nation.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sarawak General Hospital, Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Melaka Hospital, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Penang Hospital, Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, and Tuanku Fauziah Hospital are the nine hospitals that have been selected from Malaysia to conduct trails of several drugs.       

Dr. Chow Ting Soo will lead the research and drug trials in Malaysia, and would also have access to a team of 16 Infectious Disease pharmacists and physicians working in their respective hospitals. Dr. Soo is an Infectious Disease Consultant in Penang Hospital.

The drug trials would primarily test the effectiveness of four different treatment protocols utilizing various combinations of five drugs which include Hydroxychloroquine, Chloroquine, Interferon beta, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, and Remdesivir.

Source credit: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/04/06/covid-19-nine-m039sian-hospitals-to-start-who-global-drug-trial