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68 COVID-19 patients already recruited to participate in PH's tawa-tawa clinical trial

Philippines | National

68 COVID-19 patients already recruited to participate in PH's tawa-tawa clinical trial

By Charissa Luci-Atienza

A total of 68 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients have already been recruited to participate in a randomized controlled clinical trial on the efficacy and safety of tawa-tawa (Euphorbia hirta) extract as an adjunctive coronavirus treatment for mild to moderate cases.

Tawa-tawa (Manila Bulletin File Photo)

DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña bared that the project team, headed by Dr. Philip Ian Padilla of the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas has so far enrolled 68 mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. The 11-month study is targeting around 280 participants.

“A total of 68 participants, comprising of 66 mild and two moderate COVID-19 patients, were recruited in the study,” he announced on the DOSTv Facebook Page on Friday, July 2.

“This ongoing project assesses the efficacy and safety of Tawa-tawa as an adjunctive treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.”

De la Peña had noted that the study employs an interventional, randomized controlled phase II dose-finding study involving 280 patients.

He announced in May that the UP Visayas and Corazon Locsin Memorial Hospital signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the project.

Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2021/05/06/clinical-trial-for-tawa-tawa-as-adjunctive-covid-treatment-involves-280-non-severe-patients-dost/

DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya said the tawa-tawa clinical trial may be delayed as they have to wait for more volunteers to participate in the study.

Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/27/dost-initial-data-analysis-results-on-vco-lagundi-as-covid-19-therapeutic-expected-by-july/

Padilla disclosed late March that the clinical trial for tawa-tawa has been slightly delayed “because of bureaucratic red tape.”

Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2021/03/27/clinical-trial-for-tawa-tawa-as-adjunctive-covid-treatment-starts/

Tawa-tawa is known as a supplement for dengue.

Related Tags

tawa tawa clinical trial covid-19 UP Visayas DE LA PEÃ‘A DOST tawa tawa

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