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DOH: 500 Philippine patients to join initial trial of drugs vs. COVID-19


There will be 500 patients in the Philippines who would be joining a solidarity trial of drugs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is leading the trial in a bid to find a cure for the disease. It studies the safety and effectiveness of four different drugs against COVID-19.

"Initially, 500 patients ang kasama natin dito sa trial na ito to happen in 20 hospitals in the Philippines. Mayroon sa iba't ibang lugar sa Pilipinas na napiling ospital, hindi lang dito sa Metro Manila," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual conference.

She said the trial could start as early as Friday if the documentary requirements will be completed.

"Habang wala pa 'yung shipment ng gamot maaari nang mag-umpisa, baka sakali sana kapag naiayos namin lahat ng dokumento, makapag-umpisa bukas ang ating proponent ng trial," Vergeire said.

"Gagamitin muna natin kung ano mang mayroon tayong stocks ng gamot dito sa Pilipinas at papalitan na lang pagdating ng shipment galing sa WHO," she added.

The following hospitals would be participating in the solidarity clinical trial:

  • Philippine General Hospital
  • The Medical City
  • San Lazaro Hospital
  • Lung Center of the Philippines
  • Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
  • Baguio General Hospital
  • East Avenue Medical Center
  • Makati Medical Center
  • St. Luke's Medical Center Global City
  • St. Luke's Medical Center Quezon City
  • University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center
  • Cardinal Santos Medical Center
  • Manila Doctors Hospital
  • Manila Medical Center
  • Chinese General Hospital
  • San Juan de Dios Medical Center
  • Diliman Doctors Hospital
  • University of Santo Tomas Hospital
  • Vicente Sotto Medical Center
  • Southern Phil Medical Center
  • World Citi Medical Center

Further, Vergeire said that since an adaptive protocol will be implemented, the number of patients and period of the trial could still be expanded over time.

Patients from Norway and Spain were the first to be enrolled in the said study which was launched by the WHO mid-March.

Earlier this week, President Rodrigo Duterte offered a P10-million reward for any Filipino who can discover a vaccine against COVID-19.

As of April 22, the Philippines recorded a total of 6,710 cases of COVID-19, with 446 deaths and 693 recoveries. --KBK, GMA News

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