PH to join WHO’s ‘solidarity trial’ for COVID-19 cure

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will join the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global “solidarity trial” where several countries will study possible treatments for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III announced on Thursday that Dr. Marissa Alejandrija of the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Disease will represent the country in the study.

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire will serve as the official liaison of the Department of Health (DOH) in the WHO study.

“Tayo po ay sasali sa solidarity trial na ginagawa ng WHO para sa COVID-19. Ito ay isang malawakang pag-aaral kasama ang iba’t ibang bansa para makahanap ng lunas para sa COVID-19,” Duque said in a virtual press briefing.

(We will participate in the solidarity trial being conducted by WHO for COVID-19. This is a global clinical study that would include several countries in the search for the cure for the disease.)

The study is the WHO’s rapid global search for drugs that can treat the novel coronavirus that has infected more than 750,000 globally.

More than 45 countries will contribute to the study including Argentina, Bahrain, Canada, France, Iran, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

The clinical trial will test four different drugs or combinations — “remdesivir, a combination of two drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir, the two drugs plus interferon beta, and chloroquine – and will compare their effectiveness to what is called standard of care — the regular support hospitals treating COVID-19 patients use now.”

The first batch of patients has already been enrolled in the said program.