At least five hospitals across the country have been selected to conduct the randomised controlled clinical trials under the umbrella of World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity trial to find an effective COVID-19 treatment. Four of five hospitals have received approval from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). 

Medical institutes like BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, AIIMS in Jodhpur and Apollo Hospital in Chennai will perform clinical trials on four treatment protocols of COVID-19 which includes -- 1) Remdesivir, 2) combination of Lopinavir and Ritonavir, 3) Hydroxychloroquine and Lopinavir and 4) Ritonavir with Interferon beta-1a. 

Dr Sheela Godbole, National Coordinator of the WHO-India Solidarity Trial and Head of the Division of Epidemiology, ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute said, “We want at least 1,500 patients in total to be enrolled for all clinical sites. We have started to register the patients. In other countries also, patients are getting enrolled for this trial to get maximum evidence for in COVID-19 patients.” 

She stated that the trial would be discontinued if any patient will show an adverse effect of the drug. 
(Source & Credit: ANI)

The hospitals will perform clinical trials on at least 1,500 patients the newly repurposed drug such as Remdeisvir that US FDA has given conditional approval last week.