Novartis has won the go ahead from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a randomised trial of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19, the Swiss drugmaker said, according to Reuters.

The decades-old generic medicine got FDA emergency use authorisation this month for its unapproved use for the coronavirus, but so far there is no scientific proof it works.

Novartis plans to start recruiting 440 patients for its trial at more than a dozen US sites. Results will be reported as soon as possible, the company added.

Opinion

Editorial

Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...
Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...