New Delhi: The Centre said Tuesday that plasma therapy for coronavirus is still in an experimental stage and can even prove ‘life threatening’ for a patient. The statement came amid a surge of hope brought in by the first successful test at a hospital here.
There is ‘no concrete evidence to support plasma therapy as coronavirus treatment,” Health Ministry official Lav Agarwal said during the ministry’s daily briefing Tuesday. “The therapy is still in an experimental stage and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is conducting a national study on it. It can even be life threatening if not carefully done,” added Agarwal.
ICMR’s reaction
The hospital in the national capital had reported the India’s first plasma therapy success story last week. The treatment was successful on a 49-year-old patient who was cured of coronavirus after plasma therapy.
The positive result triggered a rush to donate plasma and Mumbai started Tuesday its plasma therapy trial.
The ICMR – the nodal body for the fight against coronavirus in the country – has called for clinical trials across the country to assess the effect of plasma treatment. It is one of the methods being tested to control the virus which is completely new to humans.
Earlier results
It should be stated here that earlier, plasma therapy brought in encouraging results in case of SARS, Ebola, and the H1N1 virus. However, ICMR has clarified that even for the purposes of trial, it can be used only on critical patients who are on ventilator support.
Plasma therapy involves transfusion of plasma from a convalescent coronavirus patient to a critical patient. The blood of a convalescent patient is rich in antibodies that are expected to help the critical patient recover. Doctors have earlier informed that one donor can donate 400ml of plasma. The amount can save two lives.
Agencies