DOH issues Press Release: PH solidarity trial for COVID-19 treatments receives green light from ethics review body
The Department of Health (DOH) today announced that the participation of the Philippines to the WHO Solidarity trial has been approved by the Single Joint Research Ethics Board (SJREB) last April 17, in support of the COVID-19 global response. This is in response to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) launch of an international randomized and adaptive clinical trial “Solidarity” to test the safety and effectiveness of four possible therapies in treating COVID-19, compared to standard of care:  the investigational antiviral Remdesivir, antimalarial drug Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine, antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV Lopinavir with Ritonavir, and Lopinavir with Ritonavir plus Interferon beta-1a, last March 13, 2020. More than 100 countries have joined the Solidarity Trial with more than 1,200 patients randomized from the first five countries, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations...

DOH issues Press Release: No cure yet for COVID-19; DOH programs on immunization and TB medicine remain available despite pandemic
The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated that as of today, there are no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicines or vaccines with indication for use against COVID-19. FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo clarified during the DOH Beat COVID-19 Virtual Presser that there are no drugs or vaccines with an approved indication for the treatment of COVID-19, nor are there any pending applications for it. “Kapag sinabi po kasi natin na ang gamot ay rehistrado or aprubado ng FDA, ibig sabihin, yung gamot po na yun ay nasuri ng mabuti at na-testing para sa partikular na sakit na sinasabi niyang gagamutin niya,” explained DG Domingo...