DOH will use Chinese drug vs coronavirus if approved by WHO, FDA

February 20, 2020

The Philippines will not use China's antiviral drug, which had shown effectiveness in treating the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), until it passes scrutiny from the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

"If this drug would be WHO pre-qualified, it means it passed the standards set by the WHO for drugs. Secondly, if this passed the regulations of the FDA, then we can use it here," said Assistant Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in an interview. 

"But until we can have those regulatory clearances, we cannot tell yet if this drug can be used here in the Philippines or not," she added. 

Vergeire said they are not going to make exemptions on Favilavir despite the prevailing threat of COVID-19.

"All medicines that will be imported for the use of Filipinos must pass through our regulatory processeses," said Vergeire. 

Earlier, China said antiviral drug, Favilavir has been approved for marketing and put into production. Favilavir was approved by the National Medical Products Administration.

DOH's statement comes even as patients under investigation (PUIs) for having COVID-19 symptoms have risen.

Based on the daily COVID-19 tracker of the DOH, PUIs have increased to 556, as of noon February 20. 

Of the 556, there are 133 PUIs that are still admitted and isolated in different medical facilities, while another 420 have recovered. 

Confirmed COVID-19 cases remained at three, including two discharged and one death. DMS