There is an ongoing Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) trial among coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients classified as moderate cases  at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), an official of the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) announced Monday, Feb. 22.

DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya said VCO trials were being conducted to ensure the effectiveness of VCO  as a potential supplement that could prevent the worsening of condition in patients afflicted with the disease.

"Patuloy pa po , mayroon pa pong ongoing ngayon na trial sa PGH para tingnan po ang mga COVID19 na na-ospital. Ito po 'yung moderate case ng COVID at patuloy pa po ang pagtingin din sa asymptomatic cases na ginagawa po ngayon sa Valenzuela  ( continue, there is ongoing trial at PGH to assess the COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized. These are moderate case of COVID and we continue the trials among the asymptomatic cases that are being conducted in Valenzuela [City},” he said during the "Laging Handa" briefing.

"ito ay patuloy nating mamanmanan, imo-monitor at base sa resulta nito, magdededisyon po tayo kung ito ay i-aapply sa FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (We will continue to monitor this and based on its results, we will decide if this will be applied with the FDA),” he said.

 The trial study among 120  COVID-19 patients in Valenzuela City started this month following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the City of Valenzuela, DOST-National Capital Region (DOST-NCR), and DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), in collaboration with the DOST- (PCHRD), and Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

The Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital and Dalandanan National High School Isolation Facility were identified sites for the VCO clinical study.

“Ito ay mga panimulang requirements lang po para malaman kung makakatulong ito at kung mayroong basehan tayo, base sa magandang resulta ng mga trial, maaari po tayong iapply sa ating FDA para magkaroon ng additional options ang mga Pilipino ng mga posibleng makatulong sa paggaling sa COVID-19 (These are primary requirements to determine if VCO can help and if we have basis, based on the results of the trials, we can apply with the FDA so that Filipinos will have additional options that could help them recover from COVID-19),” Montoya said.

Recent studies conducted by the DOST-FNRI showed that VCO is  a potential supplement that prevents the worsening of condition in patients afflicted with the COVID-19 virus.

DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña had noted that to evaluate the effects of VCO intake in positive symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, VCO trials in Valenzuela City will serve as a confirmatory study following the completion of the trials in Sta. Rosa Laguna.

In early December last year, dela Peña disclosed that another VCO study will be conducted in Valenzuela City after the FRNI team found out the effectiveness of VCO on 57 probable and suspected cases at the Santa Rosa Community Quarantine Facility and in Santa Rosa Community Hospital.