The Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of the Philippines, signed into law in 2019, aims to provide a full range of health services to all Filipinos.1 However, its planned implementation was derailed with the COVID-19 pandemic. We observed a large variation in the pandemic response across regions and countries, highlighting the complex interplay of political, structural, economic, and cultural factors on health. 2 The Philippine national government implemented varying levels of community quarantine, risk communication, travel restrictions, testing and monitoring of at-risk individuals, and vaccination policies to control the pandemic, while the local government units (LGUs) were tasked to adopt and coordinate these policies in their communities.

Insulin hypersensitivity reactions are rare, but cause significant complexity in the care of patients with diabetes mellitus. A 54-year-old Filipino male with type 2 diabetes mellitus and multiple co-morbidities developed delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions to biphasic isophane human insulin and glargine. Despite good glycemic control on oral hypoglycemic agents, his endocrinologist foresaw the need for future insulin therapy, particularly one basal and one short-acting insulin. Targeted skin tests demonstrated protamine allergy and negative reactions to regular insulin and detemir. Close coordination of care among endocrinologists, allergists, patients and patients' family is needed to optimize glucose control, prevent complications, and minimize the risk of future hypersensitivity reactions.

Key Words: drug hypersensitivity, insulin, diabetes mellitus

Key Findings There is currently no evidence to support the use of virgin coconut oil in the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19. • Virgin coconut oil is naturally extracted from fresh coconut kernel and is rich in medium chain triglycerides, with lauric acid as the predominant fatty acid. • Virgin coconut oil is currently explored as an adjunctive treatment for patients with COVID-19 due to its antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. • In vitro studies show that lauric acid or its derivative exert inhibitory activities against viruses with similar structure to coronavirus (enveloped ssRNA virus) such as Junin virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and Semliki Forest virus. • Animal studies demonstrate antiviral activity of monolaurin, the pharmacologically active metabolite of lauric acid, on avian influenza virus and Simean immunodeficiency virus, which are both enveloped ssRNA viruses. • Clinical trials among patients with HIV report that virgin coconut oil can increase CD4+ T lymphocyte counts and reduce viral load. • In vitro and animal studies demonstrate anti-inflammatory properties of virgin coconut oil. • At present, there are no studies that investigate the effectiveness of virgin coconut oil in the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19 infection. • There is currently one ongoing clinical trial in the Philippines evaluating the use of virgin coconut oil in the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19. • Nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, and abdominal pain have been reported, but no serious adverse events have been identified with the use of virgin coconut oil. • To date, there are no guidelines that mention virgin coconut oil as an option for the adjunctive treatment of COVID-19.
Coronavirus ; Covid-19

Key Findings At present, there are no studies that evaluate the efficacy or safety of dexmedetomidine with another sedative agent among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Possible adverse events should be carefully considered in the choice of an add-on sedative agent. • Adequate sedation is important among ventilated COVID-19 patients. Dexmedetomidine is an alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist that produces sedation, analgesia and anxiolysis. It preserves respiratory function even when given in high doses; thus, it is commonly used for COVID-19 patients. • Due to the high cost of dexmedetomidine, a common clinical practice is to use dexmedetomidine in combination with other sedatives. • Co-administration of dexmedetomidine with other sedatives has an additive effect. Possible adverse effects of combination treatment include hypotension, bradycardia, and delirium. • There are no completed or ongoing clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy or safety of dexmedetomidine with another sedative agent among COVID-19 patients. • Currently, there are no guidelines that specifically mention the recommended add-on sedative agent to dexmedetomidine for sedation of COVID-19 patients. • The World Health Organization recommends light sedation and minimizing continuous or intermittent sedation among suspected COVID-19 patients with severe acute respiratory infection. • Consensus statements for mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients recommend using dexmedetomidine, lidocaine or opioids during extubation to minimize coughing. • Clinical practice guidelines for sedation among critically ill, mechanically ventilated adult patients recommend the use of propofol or dexmedetomidine over benzodiazepines due to decreased time to extubation, duration of stay in the intensive care unit, and incidence of delirium.
Coronavirus ; Covid-19

Key Findings There is currently no evidence to support the use of sanitation tents in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. • Sanitation tents or disinfection tents have been installed in various areas of the Philippines as a measure to decontaminate individuals and prevent COVID-19 transmission. • The commonly used disinfectant in these tents is diluted household bleach. Others propose to use alcohol or diluted povidone iodine to decontaminate individuals in the tent. • Bleach is an irritant to mucous membranes and loses its antimicrobial effect over time or when exposed to heat and sunlight. • Alcohol is flammable and also causes irritation to mucous membranes. • Povidone iodine may cause skin irritation, chemical pneumonitis when inhaled, and acute kidney injury when systemically absorbed. • There are no completed or ongoing studies on the use of sanitation tents for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. • To date, there are no guidelines that recommend the use of sanitation tents for prevention of COVID-19 transmission. • The World Health Organization explicitly recommends against spraying alcohol or chlorine all over a person's body due to adverse health effects and the lack of inhibitory activity against viruses that have already entered the body. • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that most environmental protection agency-registered household disinfectants are effective against COVID-19. However, these products are approved for use only on surfaces and not on humans. • The Department of Health guidelines recommend the avoidance of spraying or misting for COVID-19 due to lack of evidence of its efficacy.
Coronavirus ; Covid-19

BACKGROUND

Remdesivir is an intravenously administered antiviral drug that inhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. In vitro studies have shown that remdesivir can inhibit the growth of the COVID-19 virus in infected Vero cells and can inhibit infection in human cell lines.

To determine the efficacy and safety of remdesivir in treating patients with COVID-19 infection.

A systematic search of electronic medical literature databases was done from inception until September 4, 2022. Search for ongoing studies and preprints was also done. Risk of bias assessment was done using Cochrane risk of bias tool version 2.0. Measures of effect used were relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis by disease severity was preplanned. The estimates for efficacy and safety of remdesivir was calculated using Review Manager 5.4 software.

Nine randomized controlled trials with 13,085 participants were identified. Eight of the included studies recruited confirmed COVID-19 patients needing hospitalization, while one study limited recruitment to nonhospitalized patients. Remdesivir showed significant benefit for outpatients with mild to moderate disease with at least one risk factor for disease progression in terms of COVID 19-related hospitalization (RR 0.13 95% CI 0.03 to 0.59), all-cause hospitalization (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.75), and need for medically-attended visits (RR 0.19, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.56). For hospitalized patients, remdesivir had a slight benefit in reducing all-cause mortality at day 28 (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.98). Subgroup analysis by disease severity showed a trend towards reduction in mortality among those with severe disease (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.07), with no effect on those with critical disease (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.04), and inconclusive effect for those with mild-moderate disease (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.11). Remdesivir showed benefit in decreasing clinical deterioration (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.89), improving recovery rate (RR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.13), and reducing the need for mechanical ventilation (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.90). There was inconclusive effect on the need for ICU admission (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.22). No increased risk of adverse events (RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.06), including serious adverse events (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.03), was seen.

Based on the available evidence, remdesivir shows benefit in the treatment for patients with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19 infection. However, there was no benefit in mortality noted among those with critical disease requiring mechanical ventilation. Remdesivir demonstrated a good safety profile, with no increased risk of adverse events compared to control. These results are consistent with the international agencies’ recommendations for the use of remdesivir among patients with mild, moderate or severe COVID-19 infection, but not for those with critical infection.

Current evidence supports the use of remdesivir as treatment for selected patients with COVID-19.

Executive Summary This Clinical Practice Guideline for the Periodic Health Examination (Pediatric Immunization) is an output from the joint undertaking of the Department of Health and National Institutes of Health-Institute of Clinical Epidemiology. This clinical practice guideline is a systematic synthesis of scientific evidence on immunization for the prevention of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, influenza, typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis, poliomyelitis, meningococcal infection, and Hepatitis A in the pediatric population. The CPG provides nine (9) recommendations on prioritized questions regarding the relevant vaccines for preventing these seven (7) diseases. Recommendations are based on the appraisal of the best available evidence on each of the eight identified clinical questions. The CPG is intended to be used by general practitioners and specialists in the primary care setting, policy makers, employers and administrators, allied health practitioners and even patients. The guideline development process followed the widely accepted Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or the GRADE approach including GRADE Adolopment, a systematic process of adapting evidence summaries and the GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) framework. 1,2 It includes 1) identification of critical questions and critical outcomes, 2) retrieval of current evidence, 3) assessment and synthesis of the evidence base for these critical questions, 4) formulation of draft recommendations, 5) convening of a multi-sectoral stakeholder panel to discuss values and preferences and assess the strength of the recommendations, and 6) planning for dissemination, implementation, impact evaluation and updating. The recommendations in this CPG shall hold and will be updated after 3 years or when new evidence arise.

Background. A 2017 situational analysis assessing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) development in the Philippines revealed CPGs of inconsistent quality. In response, the Department of Health (DOH)-Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Manual for CPG Development was developed to outline the standardized steps of the CPG development process. To implement this, technically qualified institutions and individuals should be commissioned.

Objective. To identify qualified institutions and individuals and map out their technical skills and potential for capacit building in CPG development

Methods. Mixed methods were used in this cross-sectional study. A snowballing method identified specific institutions and individuals. Self-administered surveys and key informant interviews were conducted to determine competence, strengths, and gaps in the development of CPGs.

Results. A total of 74 individuals from 45 institutions with competencies in CPG development were identified. Of the 45 institutions, 72% were non-clinical, with roughly half working on formal research. Of the 74 individuals, 96% possessed relevant knowledge and skills and 85% already provided training on CPG development topics. Around half of the respondents have been part of a CPG development task force. Only about half were able to incorporate social concepts of equity, and only one-third had experience in managing conflicts of interest.

Conclusion. Qualified institutions and individuals identified in this capacity mapping can be tapped in future CPG development in the country. Incorporation of social concepts and management of conflicts of interest still need to be ensured.

Background: Physician burnout is a growing problem worldwide. Several interventions aimed at lowering burnout rates among physicians have been implemented. To date, there is no established structured program to combat burnout in the Philippine General Hospital. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the I-CARE program, a physician resilience and wellness program which adapted the different components of the international programs for the Philippine setting.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the I-CARE program in reducing medical residents' burnout level.

Methods: After key components of the I-CARE program were identified, the program was implemented in 2 phases. The first phase involved training of consultants to hone their facilitation skills. The second phase was a before-and-after study of the I-CARE program. The participants' burnout level was measured before and after the program using the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

Results: The I-CARE program was implemented in the Department of Pediatrics from March to August 2020. There was no significant change in the overall burnout levels of 59 pediatric residents after the I-CARE implementation (p=0.32). This may be due to several challenges encountered during the implementation, such as time constraints, the increased workload caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of physical meetings due to the restrictions of the pandemic. However, the feedback of the administrators, facilitators and residents was generally positive. All the interviewed participants recommended the continuation of the I-CARE program in the Department of Pediatrics.

Conclusion: The I-CARE program shows potential in promoting mental health and emotional wellness among physicians in training.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Department of Clinical Epidemiology (DCE) of the University of the Philippines Manila is the only higher education institution in the Philippines offering graduate studies in clinical epidemiology. The Master of Science Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) was first offered in 1992, while the Diploma in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) was offered in 1998. While the courses of the programs are continuously updated based on students’ feedback and advances on topics covered, the point of view of the students and alumni on the program as a whole has not been done. This study aimed to determine 1) self-reported current positions and affiliations, work areas where clinical epidemiology (CE) training is useful, and skills gained from CE training; 2) research studies completed and deemed by respondents to have considerable impact; and 3) strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement of the DCE graduate programs.

This is an online survey of students and alumni of the DCE graduate programs. We sent email invites to all 287 students and alumni. We collected data on their profession, institutional affiliations, positions, skills gained from their training, areas of clinical epidemiology applications, important research involvement, reasons for recommending or not recommending the programs, and how the graduate programs can be improved. Responses were summarized by frequencies and percentages. An analyst performed qualitative content analysis (QCA) to generate strengths and weaknesses of the program. We validated the results of the QCA through 1) presentation to the research team, 2) sending the survey report to study participants and other students and alumni for feedback, and 3) presentation to the DCE faculty and staff.

We received 159 responses (55.4% of the total study population)—145 (91.2%) were from the MSc program and 11 (6.9%) were from the Diploma program. Majority of the respondents were physicians (93.7%), had hospital affiliations (81.8%), and were affiliated with the academe (61%). Majority of the respondents used clinical epidemiology in their research endeavors (87.4%), clinical practice (85.5%), and teaching (78%). Majority (93.1%) would recommend the program they have taken. Eleven (6.9%) respondents were hesitant due to the possible mismatch with the students’ career path, challenging thesis work, and potential conflicting personal responsibilities. Several strengths of the programs were identified, including excellent and well-implemented programs, supportive faculty and staff, and relevant course work. While completing the course work had not been a problem in general, the main challenge encountered by students is the completion of their thesis, leading to a low graduation rate in the Master of Science program. Suggestions to improve the Master of Science and Diploma programs include 1) Improvement in program implementation, including thesis policies and support, smoother transition from Diploma to MSc Program and vice-versa, and implementation of a blended learning platform; 2) Curricular improvements such as wider choices for electives and tracking towards specialty areas; 3) Innovations in conduct of courses; and 4) Personnel and infrastructure development.

This survey reiterated the importance of clinical epidemiology graduate programs in research capacity building of health care professionals. Students and alumni occupied diverse positions in academic, research, clinical, and pharmaceutical setting, and majority accomplished research studies with considerable impact. A major challenge leading to a low graduation rate in the Master of Science program is the completion of thesis work. The survey identified several initiatives towards continuous quality improvement of clinical epidemiology programs, including improvement of thesis policies and support, updating the curriculum content and materials, increasing allotment of hours for hands-on activities, exploring possibilities of offering electives in partnership with other institutions, offering a blended learning platform, maintaining an efficient administrative support for students, and continuing education for alumni. Strong institutional support for personnel and infrastructure development is essential for these initiatives to succeed.