DOST OKs testing melatonin as COVID treatment

MANILA, Philippines — The government has allowed 260 patients from 24 hospitals in the country to participate in the World Health Organization (WHO)’s solidarity trials as it pushed for cooperation in finding a vaccine and treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) here and abroad.

In a 17-page report submitted to Congress on Monday, Duterte reported that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) approved a P9.8-million project for clinical trials on the use of high-dose melatonin as an adjuvant or supplementary treatment for COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

The move came after the Manila Doctors’ Hospital reported success rates in the use of melatonin in patients with pneumonia and “high-risk features.”

Duterte said the project would be undertaken by a team of doctors from the Manila Doctors Hospital for four months involving 350 patients.

Results of the project are expected to contribute to national and international guidelines on life-saving drugs and therapy that can impact mortality in patients with COVID-19, the report said.

The President also allayed doubts on the reliability of StaySafe.ph, which was reportedly a concern raised by former Department of Information and Communication Technology undersecretary Eliseo Rio.

301 recoveries

More than 300 patients recovered from COVID-19 yesterday, the highest so far, according to a report of the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on DOH’s Bulletin for COVID-19, the total number of recoveries climbed to 6,552 with the recovery of 301 patients.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire attributed the surge of recoveries to many factors.

Vergeire said one of the reasons is that doctors have gathered “enough experience” in managing COVID-19 patients, as the pandemic has been in the country for the past five months. Sheila Crisostomo