By Fernan Angeles
AT least 13 Philippine hospitals would be joining the World Health Organization’s solidarity trials for COVID-19 vaccines, says the Department of Science and Technology.
Nine of the 13 hospitals are in the National Capital Region.
In a statement, DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said among the hospitals which have signified taking part in WHO’s solidarity trials include the Philippine General Hospital, Manila Doctors Hospital, San Lazaro Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, St. Luke’s Medical Center – Quezon City, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Makati Medical Center, The Medical City, St. Luke’s Medical Center – BGC, in Metro Manila.
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu are also joining along with Cavite’s De La Salle Health Sciences Institute and Davao’s Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Trials are set to kick off in October and will likely be completed by the second quarter of 2021.
The Philippines tapped five COVID-19 vaccine developers for the clinical trial data sharing, he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier told the public to adhere to health and safety protocols while waiting for a vaccine.