More than 600 patients in the country are currently participating in the solidarity trial of the World Health Organization, 246 of whom are given standard care.
Only Remdesivir is currently being studied to cure COVID-19 after the trials for hydroxychloroquine and Lopinavir/Ritonavir were suspended.
“Sa ngayon naman po, ang talagang tinututukan ng buong mundo ngayon ay ang Remdesivir. Of all the solidarity trial drugs, ito po ‘yung nakakapagpababa, nakakapagpabilis ng recovery, tsaka potentially nakakababa ng mortality rate (For now, the world is more keen on Remdesivir. Of all the solidarity trial drugs, this lowers, speeds up recovery and potentially reduces mortality rate),” FDA Director General Dr. Eric Domingo revealed.
Aside from Remdesivir, a clinical trial for Favipiravir or Avigan will be conducted in the country. This has already undergone review by the FDA and ethics board. Of the 163 candidate vaccines against COVID-19, 23 are in the clinical trial evaluation stage.
Dr. Domingo said two of the 23 are now in third phase. “Hopefully, ito yung baka sumali tayo sa clinical trial dito (this is where we might join).”
As of July 16, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country is at 61,266 after 2,498 more cases were added. Recoveries reached 21,440 after 467 more recovered, and the death toll rose to 1,643 with 29 new fatalities. – Report from Mark Fetalco
