MANILA — More than 2 weeks since the government said the Philippines will be participating in a multi-country clinical trial for COVID-19 treatment, the Department of Health announced it has gotten a
green light from a national ethics board.
The clinical trials, which will involve the participation of local hospitals, are looking into the effectivity of off-label drugs remdesivir, lopinavir and ritonavir combined, lopinavir and ritonavir plus interferon beta, and chloroquine. These off-label drugs were originally made to treat other diseases such as malaria or Ebola. It takes several months or years to develop a drug to treat a disease such as COVID-19, so experts have resorted to finding existing drugs that could help treat the new strain of coronavirus.
In a statement, WHO acting representatives Dr. Socorro Escalante said more countries participating in the trial would help expedite its results.
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