Standardized compensation of clinical trials’ participants eyed

On Wednesday, Science and Technology Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra floated the possibility that a Covid-19 vaccine might be available in the Philippines by the second quarter of 2021. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has sought the standardization of compensation of individuals who take part both in the World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Trial and independent clinical trials for coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

This developed after the IATF-EID approved Thursday the recommendations made by its sub-technical working group on vaccine development.

The IATF-EID’s approval was contained in its Resolution 64 also issued on Thursday.

“The Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB) should review the Ethical Guidelines for the Covid-19 clinical trials and standardize compensation of trial participants both for WHO Solidarity Trial and independent clinical trials,” the resolution read.

On Wednesday, Science and Technology Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevarra floated the possibility that a Covid-19 vaccine might be available in the Philippines by the second quarter of 2021.

Guevarra, chair of the IATF-EID sub-technical working group on vaccine development, said clinical trials in the country would involve the vaccine developed by Russia and others that pre-qualified as part of WHO Solidarity Trial.

Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, said participants of clinical trials should only be those who are healthy and are not sick.

Montoya also noted that clinical trial participants only get a measly amount of money for the food and transportation as compensation for the time they spend for the trial.

Under the IATF-EID’s Resolution 65, all applications for clinical trials should first be submitted to a vaccine expert panel, reviewed by designated Ethics Boards, and transmitted to the Food and Drug Administration for review and approval.

The IATF-EID also agreed that zoning guidelines on vaccine clinical trials must be issued by the sub-technical working group on vaccine development to avoid competition for sites.

It also directed the local government units to prioritize WHO Solidarity Trial over independent trials.

The Philippines is expected to carry out clinical trials Phase 3 for four or five vaccines that have passed WHO’s pre-qualification process.

The country is also currently in talks with pharmaceutical firms in other countries that are developing Covid-19 vaccines for possible collaborations for clinical trials.