By Joselle Dela Cruz
The anti-viral drug molnupiravir is now available for patients who are prescribed to take it through the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) Bayanihan E-Konsulta Program.
Vice President Leni Robredo said they signed an agreement with the Qualimed Health Network to provide assistance for patients prescribed with molnupiravir.
“MOLNUPIRAVIR is now available for our patients who may be prescribed to take them under our Bayanihan E-Konsulta Program,” said Robredo in a post on her personal Facebook account on Monday.
Robredo said the OVP will issue guarantee letters under their special medical assistance program to any qualified patient referred by volunteer doctors at their telemedicine program.
Qualimed facilities will further assess and prescribe the medicine to the patient afterwards.
“We are truly humbled and grateful to the QualiMed Health Network for trusting us with this partnership, helping us extend our reach in delivering aid to more of our kababayans in need. Maraming, maraming salamat po!” said Robredo.
The first shipment of the breakthrough COVID-19 pill arrived in the country last Nov. 17, the first in Southeast Asia.
Food and Drug Administration Director-General Eric Domingo said the applications for the emergency use authorization and certificate of product registration of the drug (CSP) are being evaluated.
Molnupiravir was imported to the Philippines through CSP granted to at least 31 hospitals.
Britain is the first country to approve the use of the pill and will be rolled out through a drug trial phase this month.
Molnupiravir, which was developed by US-based Merck & Company and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is the first anti-viral drug shown to prevent mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 from getting severe that needs hospitalization.
