As more countries continue to find cures or therapeutics for COVID-19, some of the drugs being tested appear to have positive effects on COVID-19 patients such as Remdesivir.
The antiviral drug was first developed to cure Ebola virus. Early clinical trial results have shown it can shorten recovery time of seriously infected COVID-19 patients. “Mukang positive po ito. Nakikita na umiikli yung time ng pagkakaroon nila ng sakit galing sa 15 days, nababawasan to 11 days. So pag napapaikli natin yung pagkaka-grabe ng sakit, possible na mabawasan din yung mga namamatay (This one looks positive. The 15-day duration of the illness can be brought down to 11 days. If we can shorten the severity of the disease, we can possibly reduce deaths.),” FDA Director General Dr. Eric Domingo pointed out.
Remdesivir is patented and manufactured by biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences which is based in the United States. The said country recently bought almost all of the world’s supply of Remdesivir. This means other countries will not be able to acquire it.
The Department of Health (DOH) shared that the Philippines still have extra supplies of Remdesivir which is an investigational drug being tested in the WHO solidarity trial.
“Sa ngayon kasi, dito sa trials na ginagawa, sukat ‘yung ating stockpile na binigay ng WHO for this number of patients that we are looking at. (On the trials currently conducted, our stockpile given by WHO for this number of patients we are looking at is measured),” DOH USec. Vergeire said.
“And meron din naman tayo na kaunti na extra kung saka-sakali nga katulad niyan may pailan-ilan na nagre-request for compassionate use (And we still have a little extra supply if ever there are requests for compassionate use. As for procurement, we do not have any.)
But for procurement, wala pa tayo sa ngayon,” she added.
The US and Singapore have emergency use authorizations to treat coronavirus, while Japan has special authorization. Other European countries and the Philippines have compassionate special permit for patients in ICU. The DOH said there are 19 patients who have been given the said permits aside from those enrolled in the solidarity trial.
As of July 3, the total count of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 40,336 after 688 fresh and 843 late cases were added. Recovery tally is now at 11,073 after 400 were added. The death toll rose to 1,280 with six new fatalities. – Report from Mark Fetalco
