Supplies of COVID-19 therapeutics 'running low' as Philippines battles surge in cases
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:46 p.m.) — The Philippines is facing a shortage of investigational drugs used to treat COVID-19 patients as the country battles a surge in infections, the Department of Health said.
In a statement Thursday, the DOH said the current stocks of antiviral drug remdesivir and anti-inflammatory treatment tocilizumab are “running low.” The use of these drugs in the country is allowed under the compassionate use permit issued by the Food and Drug Administration.
“The remaining supplies being used by select hospitals are donations from the World Health Organization,” the department said.
In a briefing Friday, DOH Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, who also serves as the treatment czar, said the country’s supply of remdesivir and tocilizumab will be replenished this month.
Remdesivir is the first and so far only drug to gain approval from the United States FDA for the treatment of COVID-19 but the WHO recommended against using it as it “had little or no effect” on hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Tocilizumab is a drug for arthritis. British researchers found it reduces of death when given to hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 and shortens the time until patients are successfully discharged from hospital.
There is no approved cure yet for COVID-19. But the search for effective COVID-19 treatment continues through WHO’s solidarity trial.
These drugs must have emergency use authorization from the country’s FDA and a positive recommendation from the Health Technology Assessment Council before the government can procure them.
There is also a need for more units of high flow nasal cannula in private and public hospitals in Metro Manila due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the DOH said.
Meanwhile, the country has enough stocks of steroid dexamethasone.
“However, if additional supplies do not arrive and considering the current trend of infection, supplies may only last for another two weeks at most,” the DOH said.
Funds for supplies
The agency said it will be downloading P5 million to each DOH hospital, including specialty hospitals, in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.
“This will allow our hospital to replenish their COVID-19 medicine supply,” it said.
The DOH said its Health Facility and Services Development Team have already proposed the inclusion of funding amounting to P1.02 billion for the procurement of 2,550 units of HFNC under Bayanihan 3.
The Philippines reported 8,773 new COVID-19 cases Friday, the highest single-day tally since the pandemic began, bringing the total confirmed infections to 693,048.
Active cases stood at 99,891, of which 0.8% are severe and another 0.8% are critical.
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