DOST: Laguna VCO study as supplement for COVID-19 treatment ends
MANILA, Philippines — The community-based study on the efficacy of virgin coconut oil as a supplement for COVID-19 treatment has completed, the Department of Science and Technology said Friday.
The VCO clinical trial at Sta. Rosa Community Hospital in Laguna, which involved suspect and probable cases, has wrapped up weeks ahead of the target date for completion, Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said. The study aims to assess if VCO can be used as adjunct meal supplement.
Dela Peña said the 57 trial volunteers completed the 28-day evaluation in which half of them had meals containing VCO. During the duration of the study, the participants also underwent tests to determine the oil’s effects.
“Fortunately, all 57 volunteers have returned home. But we want to find out if those who consumed VCO had faster recovery,” he said, adding the department is already analyzing the study and results may be released next week.
Meanwhile the VCO trial at the Philippine General Hospital is facing a challenge in patient recruitment.
“There has been difficulty because there are fewer moderate and severe cases that are hospitalized,” Dela Peña said.
Lagundi, tawa-tawa
The DOST chief said the study assessing the benefits of herbal medicine lagundi as supplemental treatment against COVID-19 is ongoing at Quezon Institute and Philippine National Police quarantine center.
“[We aim to see] if it can help COVID-19 patients, at least relieve them of symtoms such as cough, sore throat and fever, and to see whether the consumption of lagundi will lower their probability to progress into moderate and severe [cases],” Dela Peña said.
He added that ethics board has given the study on tawa tawa as supplemental treatment against COVID-19. Trials will be health at PGH, Quezon Institute and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.
The Philippines has total confirmed cases of 91,809, with 349,974 recoveries and 7,461 deaths. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
- Latest
- Trending
