UWI to do drug trials for covid19, says CMO

The Ministry of Health has given its approval for the University of the West Indies to be part of a solidarity trial which uses volunteers to test possible treatments for covid19, including medications like Remdesivir.

Remdesivir was used to combat Ebola and is the only drug currently considered effective against covid19. It appears to shorten the duration of symptoms.

During the Ministry of Health’s press briefing held virtually on Wednesday the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Roshan Parasram, said UWI has the responsibility of approaching patients to offer them a chance to test new medicines.

He reminded people that the process is voluntary.

“The UWI will have to go to patients to get their consent,” Parasram said.

He noted that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine was removed from the list of drugs being tested.