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On Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry advised against considering plasma therapy as a regular treatment for coronavirus, adding that it should only be used for research and testing purposes until such time as there is strong scientific evidence to support its efficacy.
The government further added that plasma therapy could lead to life-threatening complications if not administered properly.
“There is no approved therapy for Covid-19 in the country, including plasma therapy. Plasma therapy is being experimented with and there is no evidence to support it as a treatment. It is only in an experimental stage. If not used correctly, it can create life-threatening complications, ”said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary of the ministry of health.
The health ministry official said the country’s leading medical research agency was conducting a study to determine the effectiveness of plasma therapy, and until then doctors have been advised to use it for testing purposes only.
“Plasma therapy should only be used for research and testing purposes until an ICMR study on its efficacy is completed. ICMR is conducting national research to study the efficacy of plasma therapy, “he added.
The government’s warning about plasma therapy comes at a time when several cases of aid in the recovery of virus-infected patients were reported. Plasma therapy has been used selectively until now, mainly in severe cases where patients received respiratory support.
The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19
The use of plasma therapy involves injecting plasma from blood components drawn from a patient with a cured coronavirus in a positive case. Plasma from a cured patient is considered to contain antibodies to the virus that enhance the immune system’s response to disease. Plasma is the almost clear liquid that remains after red and white blood cells and platelets are removed from the blood.
Convalescent plasma therapy uses a blood component called plasma, which contains antibodies to the virus, from people who have recovered from the infection to treat those who are seriously ill with Covid-19.
Several Covid-19 control healthcare facilities in India reportedly began storing plasma from recovered coronavirus patients after their use was said to show positive results.
A few days ago, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain had reported that six critically ill patients with coronavirus had “almost recovered” after administering plasma therapy. On April 26, the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai was reported to have also identified the first Maharashtra patient to receive the therapy.
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One of Delhi’s designated coronavirus hospitals, Lok Nayak Hospital is already using plasma therapy and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is reportedly preparing to start it for those with severe Covid infections. 19.
