The World Health Organization (WHO) is further conducting studies on the use of antiviral drug Remdesivir against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) said on Thursday, May 20.
DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya noted that the Philippines had participated in the WHO Solidarity Treatment Trial of four repurposed antiviral drugs -- Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir, and Interferon beta-1a.
“Natapos na po ang ating participation sa WHO Solidarity Treatment Trial at tiningnan po ang apat na repurposed drugs kung sila ay makakatulong sa mga pasyenteng may COVID 19 kaya lang po base sa datos at analysis ng WHO dun sa mga datos na nakuha from the Philippines at sa ibang bansa ay mukhang wala po sa apat na repurposed drugs na ito ang makakatulong (Our participation in the WHO Solidarity Treatment Trial has ended and we have looked at four repurposed drugs if they can help patients with COVID 19, but based on WHO data and analysis of data obtained from the Philippines and other countries it seems that none of these four repurposed drugs can help),” he said during the Laging Handa briefing.
Based on the WHO Solidarity Trial results, "Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir, and Interferon regimens had little or no effect on hospitalized patients with COVID-19, as indicated by overall mortality, initiation of ventilation, and duration of hospital stay.”
“Bagamat yung Remdesivir po ay natingnan na baka makakatulong sa isang particular na grupo ng mga pasyente at yun po ay tinitingnan pa lalo ng WHO, pero yung tatlong gamot ay napatunayan po walang benepisyong maibibigay base sa malakihang clinical trial na ito (Although Remdesivir has been considered as beneficial to a particular group of patients and that is being looked at further by the WHO, but the three drugs have been proven to have no benefit based on this large-scale clinical trial),” Montoya said.
Around 30 countries participated in the clinical trial.