Expression of concern regarding the notice of retraction of the article "Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment for COVID-19: results from an openlabel, non-randomized clinical trial."
Philippe Brouqui, Didier Raoult
In January 2025, a retraction notice was published relating to our article that reported on a preliminary prospective clinical trial and, for the first time, better clearance of the SARS-CoV2 viral load in patients treated for at least three days with 200 mg of hydroxychloroquine three times a day. In the spirit of open science, we herein provide a point-by-point response to this retraction notice so that readers can make up their own minds.
Conflict of interest None of the authors has any link of interest that could constitute a conflict and a bias in the interpretation of this note, which, we recall, is intended to be purely factual.
References
Alwafi, Shabrawishi, Naser, Aldobyany, Qanash et al., Negative Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR Conversion in Response to Different Therapeutic Interventions, Cureus
Barraud, Besançon, Bik, Why the article that led to the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 should be retracted, Therapie
Brouqui, Million, Parola, Mccullough, Raoult, Outcomes after early treatment with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin: An analysis of a database of 30,423 COVID-19 patients, New Microbes New Infect
Brouqui, SARS-CoV 2 Viral Clearance in 1276 Patients: Associated Factors and the Role of Treatment with Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin, Acta Scientific Microbiology
Gautret, Hoang, Lagier, Raoult, Effect of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial, an update with an intention-to-treat analysis and clinical outcomes, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
Gautret, Hoang, Lagier, Raoult, Response to effect estimation of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: a secondary analysis of an open label non-randomized clinical trial, Int J Antimicrob Agents
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Gautret, Lagier, Parola, Retraction notice to "Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
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DOI record:
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"abstract": "<p>In January 2025, a notice of retraction of the article that reported in a preliminary prospective clinical trial and for the first time, a better clearance of the SARS-CoV2 viral load in patients treated for at least 3 days with 200 mg three times a day of Hydroxychloroquine was published. Here is a point-by-point response to this retraction notice so that the reader can make up his own mind in a spirit of open science.</p>",
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