DOST starts VCO clinical trials for COVID-19

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has started clinical trials on virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a possible treatment for the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Philippines.

 

DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said the Sta. Rosa Community Hospital in Laguna started trials on COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms about a month ago.

 

He added that they are still looking for two other hospitals or COVID-19 facilities in Sta. Rosa in order to meet the recommended number of patients for clinical trials.

 

“While it (Sta. Rosa hospital) already started a month ago, the arrival of patients is relatively slow. And so we cannot meet the 90 recommended number of patients to be enrolled,” Dela Peña explained.     

 

He also said they are still waiting for the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila ethics board to give the go signal for VCO clinical trials in Metro Manila.

 

Dela Peña mentioned that the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) will conduct a 14-day clinical trial on VCO. 

 

“They are planning 100 patients for the clinical trial. Half of them will be on VCO and others will not be given VCO for comparison purposes,” he said. 

 

Dela Peña clarified that VCO may only help speed up the recovery of COVID-19 patients. 

 

He added that they are also looking into ‘tawa-tawa’ and ‘lagundi’ plants that have been used to treat other viral diseases. 

 

He further said the Philippines is working on vaccine trials with two institutions each from China and Taiwan.