The Department of Health (DOH) TARGETS that clinical trials for the anti-flu drug Avigan as a cure for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will begin this September. It will be recalled that such clinical trials in Avigan were scheduled for September 1 but did not proceed due to lack of documentation. According to DOH Undersecretary and Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire, they are targeting to start it this month and they are just waiting for the pending documents for it. "We target to start this September, we are just now waiting for pending documents for processing," said Vergeire. It is learned that among the documents awaiting finalization are clinical trial agreements and insurance policy for those who will participate in it. He said the database for the clinical trial is still being adjusted for effective monitoring purposes. It is expected that such databases and other documents will be ready by Monday so that they can start the clinical trial in Avigan, which will last for nine months. It will be recalled that this August, Japan donated 199,000 Avigan tablets to the Philippines for use in clinical trials of about 100 COVID-19 patients. In this regard, Vergeire said that clinical trials are also rolling out the use of virgin coconut oil (VCO) for COVID-19 treatment. Sta. Rosa Community Hospital and Philippine General Hospital are conducting a trial with the VCO to determine its beneficial effects on suspects and probable COVID-19. Medical City Sta. Rosa in the next few days.
