MANILA – Nilinaw ng Department of Health (DOH) na walang ginastos na P1-billion ang ahensya para bumili ng COVID-19 investigational drug na remdesivir.
“We do not have any procurement of remdesivir precisely because it has no CPR (certificate of product registration),” ani Health Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“We will not do that because we follow regulatory protocols.”
Ang pahayag ng kagawaran ay tugon sa akusasyon ng ilang mambabatas tungkol sa umano’y pagbili ng Health department ng P1-billion na halaga ng nasabing gamot.
“The DOH should stop importing and using remdesivir. Otherwise, the public will start suspecting that some officials are making money on the purchases,” ani Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza.
Kasali rin sa mga kumakalampag sa ahensya si Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, na kapwa nagsusulong sa ivermectin.
Ayon sa DOH, bagamat pinlano nila na bumili ng supply ng remdesivir at iba pang investigational drugs, ay hindi naman ito natuloy.
Nilinaw din ng ahensya na kahit sinabi ng World Health Organization (WHO) na walang ebidensya na mabisa ang remdesivir sa COVID-19 patients, sinabi ni Vergeire na may hiwalay na pag-aaral din na ginawa ang local experts.
“We have the UP-NIH study na nakapagsabi sila that there is consideration na mayroon naman tayong ebidensya that it can help in slowing down the progression of the disease.”
“Kaya kapag tiningnan yung ating clinical practice guidelines nakalagay ‘can consider remdesivir for those requiring oxygen’ doon sa mga pasyenteng may COVID-19,” dagdag ng DOH spokesperson.
Simula noong nakaraang taon, ilang ospital na ang binigyan ng compassionate special permit (CSP) ng Food and Drug Administration (FDA) para sa paggamit ng remdesivir sa COVID-19 patients.
Nagbigay naman ng pondo ang DOH sa mga ospital sakaling kailanganin nila bumili ng supply ng naturang gamot.
“To ensure continued access to promising investigational drugs, especially when experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, funds of around P3 to 5-million were downloaded to these authorized facilities for the procurement of COVID-19 therapeutics,” ayon sa DOH statement.
“So that they can have this as fund that they can use to procure whatever investigational drug na mayroon diyan sa market. Kung gumamit sila ng remdesivir with this money, that is through the CSP,” ani Vergeire.
Maglalabas daw ng listahan ang Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC), na maglalaman ng mga rekomendasyon sa paggamit ng investigational drugs.
“The DOH assures the public that the Department is at the forefront of ensuring that COVID-19 investigational drugs and medicines are safe and effective for use.”
