According to the leading medical journal Lancet, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-donating-plasma-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-384733">convalescent plasma</a> therapy is ineffective in the treatment of patients hospitalised with coronavirus.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/lancet-convalescent-plasma-therapy-ineffective-in-treatment-of-covid-19-patients-385633/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The study said patients hospitalised with COVID-19 who were administered "convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes."

The study was conducted between January 15 and May 28.&nbsp;

Lancet researchers enlisted&nbsp;11,558 of 16,287 patients enrolled in recovery were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group.&nbsp;

"There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1,399 of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1,408 of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days," the journal said in its report.

The study found no evidence to suggest that plasma therapy provided more benefits than usual <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/global-study-finds-plasma-therapy-isnt-helping-severely-ill-coronavirus-patients-356107">coronavirus</a> care. The therapy which uses <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/does-blood-plasma-work-on-virus-patients-experts-disagree-384616">blood </a>from people who have recovered from the virus is usually given to serious patients.

The study, in fact, called for more focus on other forms of treatment like next-generation antibody therapies. It is not the first time that the efficacy of plasma therapy has been questioned.

Earlier, the therapy was found to be futile in a trial conducted by the ICMR, although the body is yet to announce its final decision on the therapy.

ICMR had found that using blood plasma as a form of treatment for coronavirus patients made no difference. The study involved 39 public and private hospitals.

In India, clinicians, public health professionals and scientists had written a letter to Professor K Vijay Raghavan who is the principal scientific advisor to the government of India asserting that doctors in the country should stop using plasma therapy since "current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma".&nbsp;

Similar research was also conducted in the United Kingdom and Argentina with scientists concluding plasma therapy made no difference to the outcome.

According to the leading medical journal Lancet, convalescent plasma therapy is ineffective in the treatment of patients hospitalised with coronavirus. Watch: The study said patients hospitalised with COVID-19 who were administered "convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes.

According to the leading medical journal Lancet, convalescent plasma therapy is ineffective in the treatment of patients hospitalised with coronavirus. Watch: The study said patients hospitalised with COVID-19 who were administered "convalescent plasma did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes." The study was conducted between January 15 and May 28. Lancet researchers enlisted 11,558 of 16,287 patients enrolled in recovery were eligible to receive convalescent plasma and were assigned to either the convalescent plasma group or the usual care group. "There was no significant difference in 28-day mortality between the two groups: 1,399 of 5795 patients in the convalescent plasma group and 1,408 of 5763 patients in the usual care group died within 28 days," the journal said in its report. The study found no evidence to suggest that plasma therapy provided more benefits than usual coronavirus care. The therapy which uses blood from people who have recovered from the virus is usually given to serious patients. The study, in fact, called for more focus on other forms of treatment like next-generation antibody therapies. It is not the first time that the efficacy of plasma therapy has been questioned. Earlier, the therapy was found to be futile in a trial conducted by the ICMR, although the body is yet to announce its final decision on the therapy. ICMR had found that using blood plasma as a form of treatment for coronavirus patients made no difference. The study involved 39 public and private hospitals. In India, clinicians, public health professionals and scientists had written a letter to Professor K Vijay Raghavan who is the principal scientific advisor to the government of India asserting that doctors in the country should stop using plasma therapy since "current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma". Similar research was also conducted in the United Kingdom and Argentina with scientists concluding plasma therapy made no difference to the outcome.

Convalescent plasma therapy ineffective in treatment of patients hospitalised with virus: Lancet

A year into the Covid pandemic, there are still no treatments that can knock out the virus.

For now, doctors have been re-purposing old drugs and steroids and for most patients it works but, since last year, one method of treatment has got way more attention than it deserves - plasma therapy.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-does-plasma-therapy-really-work-384633/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

When the pandemic began convalescent plasma therapy or simply plasma therapy was like a silver bullet.

Plasma therapy is basically using blood plasma from recovered patients and infusing it into newly infected patients.&nbsp;

It is believed that plasma helps to transfer antibodies from recovered patients to new patients. It is supposed to boost the immune response of a new patient.

Conceptually it sounds like a promising idea.

However, there is growing evidence that it doesn't work and yet, it is being widely prescribed in India.

In fact, there is a frenzy around it. Families are running from pillar to post for plasma of recovered patients for their loved ones and social media is filled with appeals for help.&nbsp;

Techies are building tools to connect patients with donors and everyone is being urged to donate plasma but experts are concerned.&nbsp;

18 clinicians, public health professionals and scientists have written a letter addressed to Professor K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government of India.

The experts say India should stop using plasma therapy since "current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma".&nbsp;

The research is part of the letter. In the United Kingdom, a trial was conducted with more than 11,000 patients. They were given plasma therapy and it made no difference.

Another trial was conducted in Argentina. It was a randomised trial with half of the patients given blood plasma and others got a placebo. Again, it made no difference.

India has conducted its own studies. It was backed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The studies involved 39 public and private hospitals.

The study found whether it was patient mortality or disease progression, blood plasma made no difference and despite all these findings doctors are widely prescribing blood plasma across hospitals.

They are doing it perhaps because they are desperate and want they want to try every treatment which is available but can this trial and error method be dangerous?

Professor Vivekananda Jha, who is one of the experts who signed the letter, says that unchecked use of plasma could lead to more problems. It could potentially give birth to newer variants of the virus and they could be more infectious.&nbsp;

Last year the Infectious Diseases Society of America had said plasma should only be used in a clinical trial and not on hospitalised patients.

In January this year, Britain halted a study on plasma because there was no strong evidence of benefit so there is mounting evidence that blood plasma doesn't help.&nbsp;

However, not only do doctors prescribe it, authorities have been running campaigns to encourage plasma donations.&nbsp;

ICMR's guidelines for doctors in India has clearly put down a list of what doctors can do for infected patients including which medicines can be prescribed, when should a patient be hospitalised and when should Remdesivir be administered. &nbsp;

The guidelines still recommend the use of blood plasma and that's what doctors follow. Even at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) has blood plasma as part of the treatment protocol for patients who have been sick for three to seven days and who show mild to moderate symptoms and are likely to be hospitalised.

However, not everyone can be given blood plasma. It is for patients whose condition is expected to deteriorate.&nbsp;

They are given plasma therapy within seven days of the onset of symptoms, not after that but there are no official numbers just how many patients in India fit this category.

Anecdotal evidence suggests such patients make up around 10 per cent of India's caseload.

So in conclusion, the bulk of the patients do not need blood plasma and even if they get it, it may not help on the contrary blood plasma can lead to serious problems.&nbsp;

It can give birth to new and infectious variants but doctors continue to prescribe it forcing distressed families to go on a hunt for a cure that doesn't work.

Governments, civil society groups and now even courts are looking for ways to collect more plasma. The Delhi High Court had a suggestion to make to the Delhi government. The judges said they should "chase recovered celebrities" and ask them to donate plasma and encourage them to issue a statement asking others to donate.

Experts say the medicines and steroids currently in use along with supplemental oxygen are good enough and in the long run vaccines are the only exit strategy.

A year into the Covid pandemic, there are still no treatments that can knock out the virus. For now, doctors have been re-purposing old drugs and steroids and for most patients it works but, since last year, one method of treatment has got way more attention than it deserves - plasma therapy.

A year into the Covid pandemic, there are still no treatments that can knock out the virus. For now, doctors have been re-purposing old drugs and steroids and for most patients it works but, since last year, one method of treatment has got way more attention than it deserves - plasma therapy. Watch: When the pandemic began convalescent plasma therapy or simply plasma therapy was like a silver bullet. Plasma therapy is basically using blood plasma from recovered patients and infusing it into newly infected patients. It is believed that plasma helps to transfer antibodies from recovered patients to new patients. It is supposed to boost the immune response of a new patient. Conceptually it sounds like a promising idea. However, there is growing evidence that it doesn't work and yet, it is being widely prescribed in India. In fact, there is a frenzy around it. Families are running from pillar to post for plasma of recovered patients for their loved ones and social media is filled with appeals for help. Techies are building tools to connect patients with donors and everyone is being urged to donate plasma but experts are concerned. 18 clinicians, public health professionals and scientists have written a letter addressed to Professor K Vijay Raghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government of India. The experts say India should stop using plasma therapy since "current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma". The research is part of the letter. In the United Kingdom, a trial was conducted with more than 11,000 patients. They were given plasma therapy and it made no difference. Another trial was conducted in Argentina. It was a randomised trial with half of the patients given blood plasma and others got a placebo. Again, it made no difference. India has conducted its own studies. It was backed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The studies involved 39 public and private hospitals. The study found whether it was patient mortality or disease progression, blood plasma made no difference and despite all these findings doctors are widely prescribing blood plasma across hospitals. They are doing it perhaps because they are desperate and want they want to try every treatment which is available but can this trial and error method be dangerous? Professor Vivekananda Jha, who is one of the experts who signed the letter, says that unchecked use of plasma could lead to more problems. It could potentially give birth to newer variants of the virus and they could be more infectious. Last year the Infectious Diseases Society of America had said plasma should only be used in a clinical trial and not on hospitalised patients. In January this year, Britain halted a study on plasma because there was no strong evidence of benefit so there is mounting evidence that blood plasma doesn't help. However, not only do doctors prescribe it, authorities have been running campaigns to encourage plasma donations. ICMR's guidelines for doctors in India has clearly put down a list of what doctors can do for infected patients including which medicines can be prescribed, when should a patient be hospitalised and when should Remdesivir be administered. The guidelines still recommend the use of blood plasma and that's what doctors follow. Even at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) has blood plasma as part of the treatment protocol for patients who have been sick for three to seven days and who show mild to moderate symptoms and are likely to be hospitalised. However, not everyone can be given blood plasma. It is for patients whose condition is expected to deteriorate. They are given plasma therapy within seven days of the onset of symptoms, not after that but there are no official numbers just how many patients in India fit this category. Anecdotal evidence suggests such patients make up around 10 per cent of India's caseload. So in conclusion, the bulk of the patients do not need blood plasma and even if they get it, it may not help on the contrary blood plasma can lead to serious problems. It can give birth to new and infectious variants but doctors continue to prescribe it forcing distressed families to go on a hunt for a cure that doesn't work. Governments, civil society groups and now even courts are looking for ways to collect more plasma. The Delhi High Court had a suggestion to make to the Delhi government. The judges said they should "chase recovered celebrities" and ask them to donate plasma and encourage them to issue a statement asking others to donate. Experts say the medicines and steroids currently in use along with supplemental oxygen are good enough and in the long run vaccines are the only exit strategy.

Does blood plasma work on virus patients? experts disagree

After COVID-19 wreaks havoc across India, thousands of patients and caregivers continue to search for plasma donors.

Several calls related to plasma donation from a particular blood group is a common scene on the social media platform, often for critical patients in the ICU.

The number of people seeking plasma is very high in comparison. Once a person recovers from COVID-19, he can donate plasma for plasma therapy.

Many organisation including Delhi Police has urged people to donate in large numbers so that more and more lives can be saved.

<h2>Covid -19 -What is plasma therapy?</h2>

Plasma therapy, broadly known as 'convalescent plasma therapy', is a procedure to treat coronavirus infection. Plasma is a component of our blood. Nearly 55% of your blood is plasma. It is yellow in colour. Laboratories can separate plasma from blood with special devices called plasma tubes through a process called centrifugation. It is like blood donation, however, the same plasma gets separated from the blood and the remaining blood will be transferred back to your body resulting in zero blood loss. The plasma contains that antibodies that can help a patient fight the pathogen and recover from the disease.

When your body has fought an infection, the antibodies produced are stored in the plasma. That means if you’ve contracted COVID, then antibodies that can fight the COVID infection will be present in your plasma. The plasma from a person who has recovered from a disease is called convalescent plasma.

<h2>Here are the guidelines issued by the Centre to donate plasma to COVID-19 patients are as follows:</h2>

1. Always carry a hard copy of the COVID-19 negative report (RT-PCR or rapid antigen test) within 4 months of the day of donation and your Aadhar Card (front and back).

2. Donate only after 14 days of a COVID-19 positive report if the person is asymptomatic or after 14 days of symptoms if the person is symptomatic.

3. Women who have ever been pregnant cannot donate COVID-19 convalescent plasma.

4. A person who has received COVID-19 vaccination will not be able to donate plasma for 28 days from the date of vaccination.

5. A person can not donate if he/she gets rejected for the lack of adequate antibodies in the blood.

6. Please contact hospital authorities for any other information in advance, on phone.

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If you are planning to donate plasma to a COVID positive patient in Delhi, here are the do's and don'ts you should know about! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaFightsCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaFightsCorona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unite2FightCorona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unite2FightCorona</a> <a href="https://t.co/98mtaDmpZA">pic.twitter.com/98mtaDmpZA</a>
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After COVID-19 wreaks havoc across India, thousands of patients and caregivers continue to search for plasma donors. Several calls related to plasma donation from a particular blood group is a common scene on the social media platform, often for critical patients in the ICU.

After COVID-19 wreaks havoc across India, thousands of patients and caregivers continue to search for plasma donors. Several calls related to plasma donation from a particular blood group is a common scene on the social media platform, often for critical patients in the ICU. The number of people seeking plasma is very high in comparison. Once a person recovers from COVID-19, he can donate plasma for plasma therapy. Many organisation including Delhi Police has urged people to donate in large numbers so that more and more lives can be saved. Covid -19 -What is plasma therapy? Plasma therapy, broadly known as 'convalescent plasma therapy', is a procedure to treat coronavirus infection. Plasma is a component of our blood. Nearly 55% of your blood is plasma. It is yellow in colour. Laboratories can separate plasma from blood with special devices called plasma tubes through a process called centrifugation. It is like blood donation, however, the same plasma gets separated from the blood and the remaining blood will be transferred back to your body resulting in zero blood loss. The plasma contains that antibodies that can help a patient fight the pathogen and recover from the disease. When your body has fought an infection, the antibodies produced are stored in the plasma. That means if you’ve contracted COVID, then antibodies that can fight the COVID infection will be present in your plasma. The plasma from a person who has recovered from a disease is called convalescent plasma. Here are the guidelines issued by the Centre to donate plasma to COVID-19 patients are as follows: 1. Always carry a hard copy of the COVID-19 negative report (RT-PCR or rapid antigen test) within 4 months of the day of donation and your Aadhar Card (front and back). 2. Donate only after 14 days of a COVID-19 positive report if the person is asymptomatic or after 14 days of symptoms if the person is symptomatic. 3. Women who have ever been pregnant cannot donate COVID-19 convalescent plasma. 4. A person who has received COVID-19 vaccination will not be able to donate plasma for 28 days from the date of vaccination. 5. A person can not donate if he/she gets rejected for the lack of adequate antibodies in the blood. 6. Please contact hospital authorities for any other information in advance, on phone. If you are planning to donate plasma to a COVID positive patient in Delhi, here are the do's and don'ts you should know about! #IndiaFightsCorona #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/98mtaDmpZA — MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) April 24, 2021 ×

COVID-19 — Donating plasma: Here’s everything you need to know