By HANA BORDEY, GMA News
Published May 7, 2021 12:56pm The Philippine Red Cross is open to conduct clinical trials in its isolation facilities as long as the government will facilitate the procedures, Senator Richard Gordon said Friday. “Basta papayag ang mga pasyente, wala pa naman akong nalalaman na namatay sa ivermectin, basta papayag sila at ang gobyerno natin ang mangangasiwa,” Gordon said during the Laging Handa briefing. (We are open to this as long as the patient will give their consent and as long as the government will conduct it.) He was reacting to Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) executive director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya’s statement that the government is eyeing the use of PRC facilities as sites for the clinical trial and their patients can participate voluntarily in the study.
(PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY)
The National Survey on Mental Health and Well-being (NSMHW), which is scheduled from May to June 2021, will collect data from 3,480 households and 7,328 individuals in Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, National Capital Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao Region.
It will be conducted by the University of the Philippines-Manila in cooperation with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development.
In a statement on Thursday, May 6, PSA said the results of the national survey will be used to estimate the national and regional lifetime and 12-month prevalence of selected mental, neurological, and substance use of (MNS) disorders among Filipinos.
Senate might look into ivermectin issue – Sotto
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) Amid conflicting claims on the use of anti-parasitic drug ivermectin in treating COVID-19, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he might push for a legislative inquiry to settle the issue.
In a media briefing on Thursday, Sotto said even doctors are divided on the veterinary drug, which has not been registered with the country’s Food and Drug Administration for human use.
The FDA gave six hospitals compassionate special permits to administer ivermectin to COVID-19 patients. Health experts, including from the World Health Organization, say the drug should only be used in clinical trials pending evidence it can treat or prevent COVID-19.
Results of ivermectin clinical trial out by Q1 2022
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) The planned clinical trial of the antiparasitic drug ivermectin for treatment of mild COVID-19 may be completed by early 2022, a government official said Monday.
Dr. Jaime Montoya, chief of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), said that while the clinical trial itself may be concluded before the end of the year, the research team still needs to examine all the information collected during the study. Pag-aaralan pa ang mga datos. Ito ay malamang lalabas sa first quarter of next year, mga January, he said in a virtual briefing.
Philippine Red Cross Isolation Facility (Photo from PRC)
This was bared by Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) Executive Director Dr. Jaime C. Montoya during a televised public briefing on Monday, May 3.
“Tinitingnan na po natin ngayon ay mga quarantine facilities ng Philippine Red Cross, kasama po natin sila sa pagaaral na isasagawa (We are looking at the quarantine facilities of the Philippine Red Cross, they are with us in the study that will be conducted),” he said.
He clarified that the participation of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients with mild to moderate cases in the clinical trial is “voluntary”.