Hydroxychloroquine in patients with mild to moderate Covid–19: an open–label RCT

Given the number of patients, again this is a missed opportunity to give a decent answer (also it's open label as opposed to double blind).

The median time when HCQ was given was pretty late: 16.6 days, so probably too late (wasn't there another trial with the same result that did the same, albeit with less patients?). For a comparison, at least here in Italy some hospitals are giving HCQ immediately post-symptom onset.

Also this measured the time for a negative PCR test, which does not mean the virus has been cleared earlier (so far only a German preprint I read used an alternative: a combination of the PCR test + an additional PCR against some RNA intermediate that is only present when the virus is replicating in the host cell, an indication of active replication). It does however include the time to symptom clearance (which is important).

In the end, it is IMO yet another inconclusive find which will keep breeding the debate without giving a precise answer.

Remedisivir followed the same fate: smaller trials were unable to find any decent effect, it took the NIAID trial and 800+ enrolled people to determine efficacy.

The U of Minnesota trial probably will have enough power, but their PI on Twitter said that enrollment has faltered (probably due to the FDA non-recommendation on HCQ? This is just a guess, however, take it cum grano salis)