The clinical trial of the anti-flu drug, Avigan, as a possible cure for Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) will begin once it arrives in the Philippines.
The Japanese Embassy has released a statement saying that almost 200,000 tablets are on its way.
“The Government of Japan delivered Avigan tablets for 100 patients to the Philippine Department of Health on August 6, 2020 as part of its emergency grant aid to countries severely affected by COVID-19.”
According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, around 100 patients will participate in the trial.
“Inaayos nalang namin final arrangements, legal documents, and all,and we are set to start soon… Nung una sabi namin August 10, magsstart pero di pa kasi nafifinalize yung legal documents natin,m. So we want to inform everybody, kung talagang final na, kung talagang magsisimula na tayo. But it will happen soon already. (We are just organizing the final arrangements, legal documents and all, and we are set to start soon… We initially said that we will start by August 10 but we have not yet finalized the legal documents. So we want to inform everybody, if it’s final, if we are already going to start. But it will happen soon),” DOH USec. Vergeire explained.
The initial clinical trials of the Avigan have produced promising results. The medicine is now approved by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).
Report from Mark Fetalco
