Update: The Lancet Has Withdrawn an Article Associating Hydroxychloroquine with Ventricular Arrhythmia

The Lancet has taken the extraordinary step of retracting a paper that garnered worldwide headlines when it was published in May. That article had suggested that hydroxychloroquine—purported by some to be a possible treatment for, or agent to prevent COVID-19—was associated with higher rates of ventricular arrhythmia and death in patients with the virus. While there is no evidence that the conclusions are incorrect, Lancet says it withdrew the article at the request of three of its authors who said they could “no longer vouch for the veracity of the primary data sources.” The original article was based on study of nearly 15,000 subjects treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, either alone or along with a macrolide.