With the rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, Jomerito Soliman, CEO of My Med Rx Plus Corporation, has announced his company has placed orders for 1 million tablets of Favipiravir (Avigan) and 3 million tablets of Umifenovir (Arbidol) to secure a supply for hospitals and patients who may need them.
Both influenza medications are approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Authority for use under a compassionate permit.
My Med RX, a pharmaceutical company under the PureGroup of Companies, is the exclusive importer and distributor of both medicines.
Umifenovir (Arbidol) and Favipiravir (Avigan), are 7-year-old and 20-year-old influenza medicines, respectively, also sold in Japan, Russia, China, and the United States.
These medicines are already being prescribed by doctors in hospitals in Metro Manila and provincial hospitals under the FDA Compassionate Permit.
“This volume of medications can help at least 100,000 to 200,000 patients,” Soliman said.
The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine FDA has also warned against importations of both drugs without permit and authority.