The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Health (DOH) reiterated their support for the conduct of local clinical trials on ivermectin to provide data on the safety and efficacy of the drug in treating Filipino patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
The eight-month project is spearheaded by Dr. Aileen Wang of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).
“The use of ivermectin as a medication for COVID-19 became a public clamor [over] the past months despite insufficient scientific evidence. If the results of this study [are] good, then the drug developers can use the results of the study for guidance on how to use ivermectin, eventually benefiting the public,” DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said.
In preparation for the start of the trials, the project is working with its own formulation to comply with the existing standards for double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Guevara explained that the project team will make their own capsules because the trials require the placebo and the active drug to look the same to avoid patient and physician bias.
To standardize the study drugs to be used — placebo and active drug — the project team has partnered with the UP Manila College of Pharmacy to easily develop and compound the local ivermectin capsules in a short period of time.
“We would like to reiterate that the compounded capsules to be used solely for the purpose of clinical trials will adhere to good manufacturing practice and compounding practice, and will be subjected to tests for raw materials and finished product,” emphasized Dr. Yolanda Robles, pharmacy team lead for the ivermectin trials.
There are currently 75 registered clinical trials on the use of ivermectin as a COVID-19
treatment around the world. However, as of today, the DOH and the Food and Drug
Administration still do not recommend the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 due to insufficient scientific evidence.
“We assure the public that our ultimate goal in the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development is to provide them with solutions backed by scientific evidence,” said the agency’s Executive Director Jaime C. Montoya. (DOST) – jlo
