PH now a center of trials for new meds, docs say
By Philip C. Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has
become one of the centers for clinical trials for new medicines in the
Asia-Pacific region, providing indigent patients with access to cutting-edge
medical treatment, according to members of the Philippine Society of Medical
Oncology (PSMO).
Doctor Ellie May Villegas, PSMO
vice-president, said drug companies said more and more clinical trials were
being conducted in the country “because of the credibility of tests” conducted
here and because some medicines have turned out to be effective only on Asians.
She said the new drugs that have been
clinically tested in the country include those intended for lung cancer, breast
cancer, and colon cancer, with drug companies spending at least P2 million on
the medication of each patient who participates in a trial that can last for two
years.
“They’re very happy with the results
because our results are not bogus. We really do the trials well,” Villegas said
in an interview.
Besides drug companies, the European
Medicines Agency and the National Institutes of Health of the United States also
sponsor these clinical trials.
Such trials have become more common in the
last five years, she said.
Villegas dismissed suggestions that these
clinical trials were taking advantage of indigent patients who have no money for
medicines.
“No, being poor is not a factor here. I
have many patients who are millionaires and I also offer these to them. A
patient is admitted to the clinical trial only if or she meets the criteria for
that particular trial,” Villegas said.
Doctor Annielyn Ong-Cornel, a PSMO fellow,
said the clinical trials do help patients who cannot afford medication.
Access to good meds
“There are many patients who are willing
to be included because it gives you access to good medication and cutting edge
science,” said Cornel, who has participated in 25 clinical trials since 2007.
“They started coming in 2005 because we
are now seeing that people in different countries respond differently to the
same medicine. The lung cancer of an Asian is different from that of a
Caucasian,” Cornel said.
She said Asians are more responsive to
some medications compared to Caucasians “or there are more side effects.”
“It’s all boils down to genetics. For
example, treatment for lung cancer used to be uniform but nowadays, you have to
do genetic testing for specific protein abnormalities in the cancer. And you
have certain medications which target that abnormality,” Cornel said.
“We have a tablet that targets one
specific genetic abnormality. If you have lung cancer, and you are positive for
that (genetic mutation), then there is a bigger chance that you would respond
(positively) to the tablet. If you don’t have that mutation, there is no
response,” she added.
Cornel said patients who want to join a
clinical trial are also thoroughly briefed before they are admitted.
“They are informed about the side effects,
that they can quit any time, and that the data obtained would be used for
scientific purposes. They usually discuss this with their families before they
say yes or no,” Cornel added.
