The protocol requirements in enrolling trial participants have been eased to enlist more people in the Avigan clinical trials in the country.

In a virtual press briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that there are only eight participants in the Avigan clinical trial.

Avigan is an anti-viral drug in Japan which is considered a potential treatment against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Vergeire said the revised protocol has been approved, allowing the participation of patients with Covid-19 classified with or without pneumonia and not on high-flow oxygen support.

“From 96 participants, it has been expanded to 144 so hopefully we can already reach iyong sinasabing (the said) number of samples needed to complete this clinical trial,” Vergeire added.

On September 16, the Department of Health (DOH) said the site initiation meeting — the discussion on site selection and its readiness to enroll subjects — for the clinical trial already began.

The DOH has received from Tokyo its Avigan supply allotted for 100 patients as the clinical trial was supposed to start on September 1.

It has also identified the hospitals where the trial will be conducted — the Philippine General Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and Sta. Ana Hospital. (PNA)