Senator Koko Pimentel III backs the clinical trial of the Japan-made anti-viral drug Avigan in the Philippines as part of the government’s efforts to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, crediting such development to Philippine foreign policy of being “a friend to all nations.”
This came after Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan will provide Avigan free of charge to 43 countries including the Philippines for clinical studies as he wants the drug approved for use against COVID-19 by the end of May.
“Our government should request for more and make it available to patients consenting to take it.”
“We thank our friend Japan for including the Philippines in the allocation of Avigan, a very promising COVID-19 treatment. I understand that this is for research purposes only. Our government should request for more and make it available to patients consenting to take it,” said Pimentel.
Avigan, developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings Corp., which has been used in flu outbreaks and the treatment of Ebola, works by blocking the ability of a virus to replicate inside a cell.
“Even US President Trump has called President Duterte in order to offer additional health and humanitarian assistance.”
“Our policy of being ‘a friend to all nations’ is already benefitting us. Aside from this provision of Avigan by Japan to us free of charge, China has earlier sent a delegation of public health experts to our country to share with our public health experts what they did in China to contain the COVID-19. Even U.S. President Trump has called President Duterte in order to offer additional health and humanitarian assistance to fight the pandemic, ” the veteran legislator added.
The seasoned lawmaker noted that the country’s friendly relations with other nations have greatly affected the treatment of overseas Filipino workers especially in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
“Despite the current focus on solving the COVID-19 pandemic with many countries locking down their borders, the Philippines should continue to pursue and strengthen this independent foreign policy of being ‘a friend to all nations’,” the senator emphasized.