Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 9) — The clinical trial on anti-viral drug Avigan in the Philippines may finally start next week, as the Department of Health has allowed the proponent to recruit study participants.
“Hopefully by next week, officially starting na tayo [we will be officially starting],” Vergeire said in a briefing.
Vergeire said the proponent of the research, which aims to look into possible benefits of the Japanese drug to coronavirus patients, just needs to fix a minor issue on their insurance documents before they could hold the trial.
The conduct of the nine-month trial was supposed to start in August, but it was postponed due to a delay in the release of research funding.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the study was given a budget of ₱18 million.
In August, the DOH received Avigan tablets, which are good for 100 coronavirus patients.
