Philippines to receive 300,000 courses of Merck's COVID-19 pill

MANILA: The Philippines will receive 300,000 courses of Merck & Co's COVID-19 antiviral drug next month, licensed importers and distributors said on Wednesday, as Asian nations race to get early access to the experimental pill amid large demand.

Singapore and Malaysia have signed deals to buy the drug, Molnupiravir, while Indonesia is finalising a purchase agreement, among a slew of orders after data from interim clinical trials showed the pills could halve the likelihood of hospitalisation or death for patients at risk of severe COVID-19.

"Molnupiravir can now be accessed by our countrymen upon being prescribed for such use by their respective physicians," Monaliza Salian, president of MedEthix, a Philippine healthcare products importer, told a news conference.