COVID-19: All eyes on plasma therapy, but does it need more research?

With the world still trying to develop a vaccine for COVID-19, several other treatment methods have already come to the fore. One such potential treatment, plasma therapy, has been grabbing the headlines over the past few days, and in Delhi, a minister has even dubbed it as a success.

The convalescent plasma therapy technique refers to the transfusion of plasma from people, who have recovered from the deadly infection, to patients who are in severe condition. However, it is not a definitive treatment and is aimed at increasing antibodies in the patient. Several states have sought the ICMR’s approval for conducting plasma therapy, including Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, while Delhi has already conducted it.

Sounding optimistic, Medanta Group CMD Dr Naresh Trehan said even though the use of plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 cases has a sound theoretical base, it still requires a lot of research. Speaking at ‘e-Agenda Aaj Tak’, he said doctors need to find at what stage of illness the therapy can be used so that it is most effective.

Related news: Initial results of plasma therapy trial encouraging: Kejriwal

Speaking about the plasma therapy trials, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday claimed the treatment is showing positive results. “Two patients got it four days ago, two on Thursday and two on Friday. Those who got it four days ago have almost recovered. The results are encouraging,” he said.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma said the state is also ready to conduct plasma therapy on severely-ill COVID-19 patients and that it has written to the Indian Council of Medical Research for permission to carry out the treatment. Meanwhile, Karnataka began clinical trials of the therapy on Saturday.

One of the major challenges in the therapy is to convince people to donate blood for it, said a civic official in Mumbai, adding that extracting plasma from blood, its testing and then administering it to a patient is a complicated procedure and not as simple as it may appear on paper.

Till April 21, the official said, only a couple of persons came forward to donate blood for the therapy, even though nearly 500 people have been discharged so far in the city after recovering from the disease. “We need to convince them to come forward and help others,” he said.

“Plasma therapy involves extraction of plasma from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients. These people are expected to have good amount of anti-bodies, which, by way of plasma, will be administered to COVID-19 patients,” said a senior epidemiologist from the Maharashtra health department.

Related news: Kerala moves on plasma therapy for COVID-19, seeks nod for trials

The dose of plasma along with the ongoing medication will help the patient to build immunity as well as recover faster from the infection, he said. The ICMR has permitted the use of plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients in Mumbai on an experimental basis, State Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said on April 22.

Several other states are also eager to use plasma therapy on a trial basis. At the ‘e-Agenda Aaj Tak’, ministers from two other states — Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo and Bihar Minister Sanjay Jha — expressed their interest in conducting clinical trials of the therapy.

Stressing that consent of the patients is also important for plasma therapy, Deo said Chhattisgarh can start with it once it is approved by the ICMR. According to an India Today report, Jha said in a new epidemic situation like this, Bihar will welcome any treatment or cure that comes its way.

(With inputs from agencies)