Philippines to continue hydroxychloroquine use in WHO solidarity trial, says DOH

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Saturday said the Department of Health (DOH) has again included hydroxychloroquine in the solidarity trial it is conducting with the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding COVID-19.

This was after the WHO issued an advisory earlier this week saying the drug can again be used in the trial after they have studied scientific articles discussing its possible effects.

"Noong isang linggo nagkaroon ng rekomendasyon or statement ang executive council ng WHO na sinasabing ititigil muna ang hydroxychloroquine doon sa kasama sa WHO solidarity trial," Vergeire said.

"With that statement, ang Pilipinas po, 'yung ating mga proponent, nagkaroon ng desisyon na susunod tayo sa rekomendasyon na 'yon dahil sa may naibalita sila based on articles na may mortality at morbidity studies na lumabas," she said.

READ: Philippines to stop giving hydroxychloroquine to COVID-19 patients

"Matapos pag-aralan ng WHO, they again issued a statement saying that hydroxychloroquine can again be continued in the WHO solidarity trial citing na sinasabi nila na pinag-aralan nilang mabuti ang mga article kasama ‘yung sinasabing mga effects," Vergeire said.

The DOH official said when they first received the WHO advisory to stop the use of the drug in the trial, the department stopped giving new allocations.

"Tayo naman nang binigyan tayo ng advice na 'yan, ating tinigil 'yung mga newly allocated. Pero 'yung ating mga kababayan na on hydroxycloroquine ulit, hindi naman natin itinigil," Vergeire said.

"Sinasama na ito sa mga gamot na sinusubukan natin for the WHO solidarity trial," she added. —KG, GMA News