The clinical test on the use of virgin coconut oil (VCO) to treat suspected and probable COVID-19 patients in Santa Rosa, Laguna has been completed, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced.
DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña reported that more than 50 patients participated in the VCO trial and their conditions have improved.
“Kaya ngayon ay ginagawa na ‘yung statistical analysis, and I hope by next Friday ay baka meron na tayong resulta (We are now doing the statistical analysis, and we might have the results by next Friday),” dela Peña stated.
Aside from VCO, Lagundi is currently undergoing clinical trial while the Tawa-tawa trial is set to be rolled out in three sites after the ethics board issued an approval including the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Quezon Institute (QI) Quarantine Center, and a regional hospital in Negros.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) admitted that there was a slight problem in the clinical trial of the anti-flu drug Avigan in the country. DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said only four have enrolled out of its target of 100 patients. Protocols are now being adjusted to recruit more patients.
“Oral tablet kasi ito, so kapag binigay ang Avigan, orally. Hospital settings natin ito gagawin, pero para sa mga mild lang na mga kaso. Alam naman po natin na sa ngayon, wala na masyadong naaadmit na mild cases sa ating mga ospital (Avigan is an oral tablet and taken orally. This is done in hospital settings for mild cases. We know that there are not too many mild patients in hospitals now),” she explained. – Report from Mark Fetalco
