Patients in Norway will be the first to take part in a major international research study for a promising treatment for Covid-19, initiated by the World Health Organization.
The WHO study, named Solidarity, is starting to treat its first patient at Oslo University Hospital, the Norwegian government said in a statement. The study will be led by John-Arne Røttingen, Director of the Research Council of Norway.
The plan is for the study to be extended to 22 hospitals throughout Norway. Among treatments to be tested are the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine/plaquenil, the Ebola drug remdesivir and an HIV treatment (lopinavir/ritonavir) either alone or together with a drug for hepatitis (interferon-β1a).
Throughout the study, researchers around the world will gather information on the effectiveness of the treatments on patients’ survival and how long they need intensive care and hospitalization.