DOH okays recruitment of Avigan trials participants; test may start next week

Anti-influenza Avigan Tablets produced by Japan’s Fujifilm are displayed in Tokyo on October 22, 2014.  AFP PHOTO / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP FILE)

MANILA, Philippines — The clinical trials for Japanese anti-flu drug Avigan as a possible COVID-19 treatment may finally start next week as the Department of Health (DOH) gave the go signal for the recruitment of participants in the test.

In an online media forum Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said authorities are just attending to some “minor” issues into the insurance system of the clinical trials.

“Ang kulang nalang natin ‘yung insurance. May minor na comment ang legal service namin for this document. ‘Yun na lang but we already gave the go signal to the proponent, they can now start recruiting participants for the trials,” Vergeire told reporters.

“Kapag nakapag-recruit na tayo, hopefully, by next week talagang officially starting na tayo,” she added.

READ: Clinical trial of Japanese antiflu drug Avigan in PH set

The Avigan trial was earlier slated to begin in mid-July but was delayed as legal arrangements were finalized. The Japanese government delivered in early August tablets enough for use by 100 patients.

The government has identified the Philippine General Hospital, Sta. Ana Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and Quirino Memorial Medical Center as trial sites for the study.

As of October 8, there are 331,869 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, including 274,318 recoveries and 6,069 deaths.

KGA