No major side-effects: India to continue using Hydroxychloroquine as preventive medicine

New Delhi, May 26: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday that no major side-effects of antimalarial drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been found in studies in India and its use can be continued in preventive treatment for COVID-19 under strict medical supervision.

The ICMR's statement came against the backdrop of the World Health Organization (WHO) temporarily suspending the testing of the drug as a potential treatment for COVID-19 over safety concerns.

"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," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said, according to news agency PTI.