BAGUIO CITY, Philippines —Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center nurse John* , who tested positive for COVID-19 on June 2, is the city’s first participant in an ongoing international clinical trial to find cure for the disease.
Called the “solidarity trial”, the treatment study "aims to compare four treatment options against standard of care, to assess their relative effectiveness against COVID-19 by enrolling patients in multiple countries," the World Health Organization said.
The medicines on trial include Remdesivir made by Gilead, Lopinavir by Hetero Labs Ltd. and Interferon by Merck Shark and Dohme.
He said he gave his consent to the BGHMC authorities to join the trial just as his swab test confirmed his infection on June 2. "I want to be part of the solution to this health problem despite the risks and the challenges. The medicine may not be effective to me but the results will help determine if it can be effective to other patients," the nurse said
He said he was administered the experimental medicine after his vital signs and creatinine levels stabilized.
His brother Jeffrey who was also diagnosed on June 4 opted for the regular medications.
Both patients recently agreed to reveal their identities to speed up contact tracing and prevent transmission.
John is a nurse at the BGHMC psychiatric ward and a cancer survivor who overcome the disease in 2016. Though immunocompromised, he continued to serve as a frontliner here.
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*The nurse's name has been changed to protect his privacy