An administrative order will soon be released by the Department of Health (DOH) in order to allow hospitals to procure investigational drugs for coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that it will only cover investigational drugs for COVID-19 that have an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Mayroon po kaming ilalabas na policy (We will soon issue a policy). This is an admin order among the investigational drugs that we are using for COVID-19,” said Vergeire.

“We are now delegating this authority to procure doon po sa ating mga hospitals para makakagamit na sila agad-agad nitong investigational drugs. We are just waiting for it to be signed tapos mag-uumpisa na tayo niyan (We are now delegating this authority to procure to our hospitals so that they can use these investigational drugs immediately. We are just waiting for it to be signed and then we will start with that),” she added.

The investigational drugs that are being used for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in the country are remdesivir, tocilizumab, and baricitinib.

Meanwhile, Vergeire clarified that hospitals or doctors must still need to secure a compassionate special permit from the FDA if they will use an investigational drug without an EUA----such as molnupiravir.

“Ang molnupiravir, wala pa siyang emergency use authority, nasa stage palang siya ng compassionate special use dito sa ating bansa. Kapag may gustong gumamit ng molnupiravir, ito po ay inaapply sa Food and Drug Administration ng mismong ospital na gagamit o yung physician na gagamit (The molnupiravir does not have an emergency use authority yet. It is still in the stage of compassionate special use here in our country. If someone wants to use molnupiravir, it is applied to the Food and Drug Administration by the hospital that will use it or the physician who will use it),” explained Vergeire.

“Meron kaakibat na accountability ang ating mga doktor o ospital kapag ginamit nila ang molnupiravir under compassionate special use permit. sila magiging accountable whatever (the) reactions (to) the patients (Our doctors or hospitals have an accountability when they use molnupiravir under a compassionate special use permit. They will be accountable whatever the reactions to the patients),” she added.