The World Health Organization has paused the clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for COVID-19 due to safety concerns.

The decision came after a paper published in the Lancet indicated that using the drug on COVID-19 patients could increase their likelihood of dying.

U.S. President Donald Trump and others have touted hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Earlier this month, Trump said he was taking the drug to ward off the virus.

Meanwhile, the WHO said other treatments in the global clinical trial for the virus are still continuing.