A range of anti-viral drug trials have been funded in an extraordinary funding round by the Health Research Council.
More than $3.8 million has been dished out to Covid-19 research in the fields of health and social science, as a result of an urgent funding call issued last month.
Three funded clinical trials will test the role of existing medications, including one that has been controversially endorsed by US President Donald Trump.
Hydroxychloroquine is commonly used in the treatment and prevention of malaria and has shown some promise against Covid-19 in laboratory trials internationally.
The drug will be trialled in patients at all levels of severity, intensive care, general admissions and those not sick enough to be hospitalised.
Dr Colin McArthur is heading up the study in intensive care units.
“It’s helpful to get [the medications] in the public consciousness and that there are potential treatments, but I think we have to take a very careful approach because these are drugs that have side effects with an unknown benefit," he said.
President Trump called hydroxychloroquine “one of the biggest game changers in medicine”.
Earlier this week, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there is not enough evidence hydroxychloroquine would help but that he was keeping across overseas research.
Lopinavir-ritonavir, currently used to treat HIV, will also be used in the trial.
The results of the clinical trials will feed into international research already being carried out.
A total of 13 government funded studies will be carried out
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