Philippines may get new stock of tocilizumab by November

Published October 29, 2021 01:46 PM

The Philippines may receive a new stock of arthritis drug tocilizumab by the second week of November, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

“According doon sa manufacturer nila, supplier nila, baka by second week of November magkaroon tayo ng stock, so antayin natin ‘yun,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a media briefing.

(According to their manufacturer, their supplier, we might get stock by the second week of November. So let’s wait for that.)

In September, the Philippines had difficulty replenishing its stock of tocilizumab

, which is used to treat COVID-19 patients, due to a global shortage.

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved for use in the country the tocilizumab manufactured by Chinese firm Lizvon.

The Philippines has logged 2,772,491 COVID-19 cases, of which 49,835 are active and 42,575 have succumbed to the illness as of Thursday. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA News

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