MANILA, Philippines — Only four out of 100 COVID-19 patients in the Philippines that can participate in the clinical trial for the Japanese drug Avigan have been recruited so far, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported yesterday.
With this development, Vergeire said the protocols for the study would be revised.
“The total number of trial participants from the Philippines is 100. But as of Nov. 5, there were four patients recruited for the study,” Vergeire said at a press briefing.
Two of the patients are in the Philippine General Hospital and one each in Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Labor Hospital.
According to Vergeire, there are many challenges in undertaking the Avigan trial because of the conditions and requirements.
She said the low number of participants could be due to the “inclusion and exclusion criteria” that they are implementing in choosing the patients.
Vergeire added that symptomatic patients or those who have fever, needing oxygen therapy and concomitant bacterial infection were not accepted in the trial.
Aside from this, she said the Avigan tablets would be given in “hospital setting” only for COVID-19 patients with mild cases.
“But we all know that there are only a few mild cases being admitted in hospitals because of the continuing decrease in cases,” Vergeire said.
To address this, the Steering Committee for Clinical Trials headed by the Department of Health has agreed to restrategize and revise the protocols for the trial to expand the recruitment of participants.
Avigan is an anti-flu drug manufactured in Japan that is seen to have potential to treat COVID-19 infection.