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The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said clinical trials for herbal medicine lagundi on mild coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"For Lagundi, the good news is that the FDA has already approved the clinical trials. It was approved early this week," Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said in a public briefing on Saturday.

De La Peña said the clinical trials will be done by the health professionals from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in three quarantine centers with mild cases which includes Quezon Institute quarantine center, Sta. Ana Hospital and at the Philippine National Police NCR community quarantine center.

De La Peña said the DOST is also waiting for the approval of the clinical trials for the Tawa-tawa herb which will be managed by doctors from UP Visayas.

De La Peña said DOST plans to their plan to expand the ongoing Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) trial to Valenzuela.

"Aside from our Sta. Rosa trial, we are planning to expand to Valenzuela. We have talked with the local government unit of Valenzuela and they are willing to conduct VCO trial to their emergency hospital to increase the number of volunteers," he said.

"In Sta. Rosa we have almost 40 volunteers and we only need around 56, so were near the finish line and we know the condition. In fact 3/4 of our patients there were able to go home, so it means they are getting strong but we still need analysis and formal report," De La Peña said.

"After that we will ask for the permission of the FDA, for making VCO a health supplement, although a lot of people are saying that the VCO has a good effect because it has anti-viral properties, So I think within two month were able to discover something," he added. Robina Asido/DMS