DOH requires these qualifications of COVID-19 drug trial
DOH Requires Qualifications – COVID-19 patients who will join the drug trial are required to pass qualifications, according to the Department of Health.
While the whole world is fighting against the novel coronavirus disease 2019, efforts worldwide are also done to discover a vaccine or treatment for the fatal virus. In the Philippines, the health department is set to have clinical trial of drugs against the COVID-19, based on the report from GMA News Online.
500 coronavirus patients from 20 hospitals around the Philippines will participate in the said measure led by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of the fight against the disease. However, the participants are required to pass certain qualifications first before they will be officially part of the project.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that patients should be 18 years old and above and without contraindicationsĀ or pre-existing health conditions. “May mga criteria po tayo para maisali ang pasyente. It’s the inclusion criteria,” she added.
The health Undersecretary also said patients who have given informed consent will be enrolled in the trial. “Ito po [mga gamot], ibibigay po sa kanila habang sila ay nasa ospital at guided by our doctors,” Vergeire said.
She also said that as of the moment, treatment for COVID-19 patients using off-label drugs and other medicinesĀ is still on the experimental stage.
Based on the report, the COVID-19 drug trial already started in several patients in Norway and Spain. WHO has started this project last month.
As of press time, there is no known cure yet or vaccine against the new coronavirus. President Rodrigo Duterte has already increased the reward to P50 million that he will give to one who will discover the COVID-19 vaccine.
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