According to BMJ British Medical Journal, convalescent plasma which is taken from recovered <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-covid-19-count-breaches-07-million-mark-recovery-rate-over-93-337406">coronavirus</a> patients does not reduce chances of patients getting seriously ill, the research found from its study in India.

<a href="Doctors find new organ in throat 1.5 inches in length">Also Read:&nbsp;Doctors find new organ in throat 1.5 inches in length</a>

The study looked at over 400 patients who were hospitalised due to COVID-19 to find out whether the treatment healed people with moderate disease but it found that “convalescent plasma showed limited effectiveness”.

The study said in the past, convalescent plasma was used as a "passive immunisation strategy" to treat viral diseases, raising expectations that potentially it could be used to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVIDd-19 and a disease with no proven, effective interventions"

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russias-sputnik-v-vaccine-against-covid-19-will-be-tested-on-100-indian-volunteers-337375">Also Read:&nbsp;Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 will be tested on 100 Indian volunteers</a>

“The ... trial was able to show a small effect on the rate at which patients were able rid themselves of the virus, but this was not enough to improve their recovery from the disease,” Simon Clarke, an expert cellular microbiology at the University of Reading said, adding, "In simple terms, there were no clinical benefits to the patients.”

It said that in the "pre-vaccine era, convalescent plasma was used to treat viral diseases such as poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, and influenza, and, more recently, influenza, Ebola virus disease, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus epidemics, with varying degrees of success."

"Evidence suggests that convalescent plasma collected from survivors of covid-19 contains receptor binding domain specific antibodies with potent antiviral activity."

"However, effective titres of antiviral neutralising antibodies, optimal timing for convalescent plasma treatment, optimal timing for plasma donation, and the severity class of patients who are likely to benefit from convalescent plasma remains unclear," it found.

The research said that convalescent plasma treatment had received regulatory approval in several countries, however, it said that due to uncertainties, it was still unclear just how much convalescent plasma was safe and effective.

"Only two randomised controlled trials on convalescent plasma use in covid-19 have been published, one from China and the other from the Netherlands," it said, adding,"both were stopped prematurely. China study because of inadequate patient enrolment, and the Dutch study because interim findings highlighted the need for a redesign of the trial."

"Neither study found a mortality benefit, and the Dutch study raised uncertainties about the pretransfusion antibody status of patients," it stated.

According to BMJ British Medical Journal, convalescent plasma which is taken from recovered coronavirus patients does not reduce chances of patients getting seriously ill, the research found from its study in India.

According to BMJ British Medical Journal, convalescent plasma which is taken from recovered coronavirus patients does not reduce chances of patients getting seriously ill, the research found from its study in India. Also Read: Doctors find new organ in throat 1.5 inches in length The study looked at over 400 patients who were hospitalised due to COVID-19 to find out whether the treatment healed people with moderate disease but it found that “convalescent plasma showed limited effectiveness”. The study said in the past, convalescent plasma was used as a "passive immunisation strategy" to treat viral diseases, raising expectations that potentially it could be used to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVIDd-19 and a disease with no proven, effective interventions" Also Read: Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 will be tested on 100 Indian volunteers “The ... trial was able to show a small effect on the rate at which patients were able rid themselves of the virus, but this was not enough to improve their recovery from the disease,” Simon Clarke, an expert cellular microbiology at the University of Reading said, adding, "In simple terms, there were no clinical benefits to the patients.” It said that in the "pre-vaccine era, convalescent plasma was used to treat viral diseases such as poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, and influenza, and, more recently, influenza, Ebola virus disease, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus epidemics, with varying degrees of success." "Evidence suggests that convalescent plasma collected from survivors of covid-19 contains receptor binding domain specific antibodies with potent antiviral activity." "However, effective titres of antiviral neutralising antibodies, optimal timing for convalescent plasma treatment, optimal timing for plasma donation, and the severity class of patients who are likely to benefit from convalescent plasma remains unclear," it found. The research said that convalescent plasma treatment had received regulatory approval in several countries, however, it said that due to uncertainties, it was still unclear just how much convalescent plasma was safe and effective. "Only two randomised controlled trials on convalescent plasma use in covid-19 have been published, one from China and the other from the Netherlands," it said, adding,"both were stopped prematurely. China study because of inadequate patient enrolment, and the Dutch study because interim findings highlighted the need for a redesign of the trial." "Neither study found a mortality benefit, and the Dutch study raised uncertainties about the pretransfusion antibody status of patients," it stated.

Convalescent plasma has 'limited effectiveness' in treatment, finds UK study in India

Emily Miller, the spokesperson for&nbsp;US Food and Drug Administration, has been fired days after her appointment in the office. The decision was taken by FDA&nbsp;Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Miller, who had only been on the job for few days, had apparently already created problems among the career officials within the agency. Miller was responsible for prepping the commissioner for the emergency use authorization on convalescent plasma.&nbsp;

Though she has been fired from her post, she will be retained as an&nbsp;"appointee" at the agency for the time being, as since she was appointed by&nbsp;the White House personnel office, any decision to remove her as an appointee would have to be approved by that office, and not the agency.

"Ms. Miller remains an appointee at the FDA and generally we do not discuss personnel matters," Stephanie Caccomo, the FDA media relations director told local media.

Her removal from the post has sparked rumours about the agency's intentions about information related to the novel coronavirus, following the recent criticism Hahn faced when he attended a press conference with the US President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to announce the FDA had granted an emergency use authorization for the plasma treatment. Hanh was criticised, and he later apologised, for&nbsp;exaggerating the lifesaving benefits of the treatment.

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When the news broke out, Miller, too, jotted down a facebook post in which she said, "For as long as I’m in this role, I will work nonstop to get information on COVID-19 treatments and the vaccine process communicated to people as accurately and quickly as possible."

"I will not lie. I will not do anything that violates my personal ethics and values," she added.&nbsp;

To clear the air, Hanh has assured that he, or any other member of the agency, has never taken a decision based on the US politics.&nbsp;"The decisions the scientists at the FDA are making are done on data only," the commissioner said in a statement.

Emily Miller, the spokesperson for US Food and Drug Administration, has been fired days after her appointment in the office. The decision was taken by FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Emily Miller, the spokesperson for US Food and Drug Administration, has been fired days after her appointment in the office. The decision was taken by FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn. Miller, who had only been on the job for few days, had apparently already created problems among the career officials within the agency. Miller was responsible for prepping the commissioner for the emergency use authorization on convalescent plasma. Though she has been fired from her post, she will be retained as an "appointee" at the agency for the time being, as since she was appointed by the White House personnel office, any decision to remove her as an appointee would have to be approved by that office, and not the agency. "Ms. Miller remains an appointee at the FDA and generally we do not discuss personnel matters," Stephanie Caccomo, the FDA media relations director told local media. Her removal from the post has sparked rumours about the agency's intentions about information related to the novel coronavirus, following the recent criticism Hahn faced when he attended a press conference with the US President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to announce the FDA had granted an emergency use authorization for the plasma treatment. Hanh was criticised, and he later apologised, for exaggerating the lifesaving benefits of the treatment. When the pandemic began in March, I was living in Houston. I felt out of position because I’ve always worked in DC in... Posted by Emily Miller on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 × When the news broke out, Miller, too, jotted down a facebook post in which she said, "For as long as I’m in this role, I will work nonstop to get information on COVID-19 treatments and the vaccine process communicated to people as accurately and quickly as possible." "I will not lie. I will not do anything that violates my personal ethics and values," she added. To clear the air, Hanh has assured that he, or any other member of the agency, has never taken a decision based on the US politics. "The decisions the scientists at the FDA are making are done on data only," the commissioner said in a statement.

FDA spokesperson Emily Miller fired; to continue as 'appointee'

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday issued an emergency authorisation for doctors to treat coronavirus using blood plasma from patients who’ve recovered from the disease. The announcement has brought a number of questions to many minds and in an attempt to answer major questions surrounding convalescent plasma as a COVID-19 treatment, WION spoke to New York-based Dr Dheeraj Kaul who happens to be a specialist in Nephrology geriatrics and pain management and has been following the developments.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-authorises-blood-plasma-treatment-against-coronavirus-trump-hails-move-322624">US authorises blood plasma treatment against coronavirus; Trump hails move</a>

What is convalescent plasma, and how does it work?

When people get infected with COVID-19, their immune systems generate antibodies to fight the disease. Those antibody proteins float in their blood plasma, which is the liquid component of blood that suspends blood cells.

In the convalescent plasma process, doctors harvest the plasma, test it for safety, and then purify it to isolate those antibodies. That convalescent plasma can be injected into another patient sick with COVID-19, and the antibodies it contains can help fight the virus early in an infection until the patient’s own immune system generates its own antibodies in sufficient quantities to beat back COVID-19.&nbsp;

Doctors in the US started using convalescent plasma as early as April but only for patients who were very sick and were in the ICU on ventilators. “Over the months, we saw that people who were on the threshold of dying, a significant number of those people got better when given convalescent plasma, they were extubated and were out of the ICU and we were able to save lives,” said Kaul. &nbsp;

On being asked the reason behind the delay for the authorisation, Dr Kaul said that there weren’t enough good studies that could support the data doctors could see, hence every hospital had to take individual permissions from patients to follow the process which also made the procedure cumbersome. Also, the limited number of convalescent plasma collecting sites like the Red Cross were not getting the green signal to go about with the process. In August, Mayo Clinic carried out a study based on a larger group of 35,000 people who were further divided into two groups- The first section getting the plasma within first 3 days of manifestation and infection. The second group was given the treatment after 4 days or more of getting infected. All of these people were hospitalised.&nbsp;

Categorising the people who were involved in the study, Kaul said, “half of them were white, 38% were Hispanic, 16-17% were black and 3-4% were Asian and from other ethnicity. On day 7, they were checked for response and doctors found out that there was a startling 35% mortality reduction, which is huge in medical sciences.” It meant, if infected people are given C plasma earlier, 35 out of 100 people who are otherwise going to die, can be saved save from dying. One life in every three possibly dying people can be saved. Hence C plasma is being pushed with scientific backing and I have seen it work for first hand.

Talking about FDA and the delay happening, it isn’t exactly a delay according to Dr Kaul because “every new idea is tested numerous times” and considering the unprecedented times we are living in, “this is a record time in which FDA has approved anything even for authorisation. Hence this is the fastest FDA could come. Most important things to be assured were that it does no harm and it does its work.”&nbsp;

Dr Kaul looks satisfied with the US announcement that comes on the eve of Republican National Convention, where Trump will be nominated to lead his party for four more years.&nbsp;

However, Dr Kaul definitely had something to say about the Russian vaccine that is surrounded by controversies and questions since the start despite Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioning that his daughter was one of those who took the vaccine. “Never have we used a vaccine that has not passed Stage 3 trials, it’s a very risky proposal. I as a physician will not be comfortable prescribing a Stage-2 passed vaccine to my patient,” said Dr Kaul.&nbsp;

Report by: Anshu Dubey 
&nbsp;

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday issued an emergency authorisation for doctors to treat coronavirus using blood plasma from patients who’ve recovered from the disease.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday issued an emergency authorisation for doctors to treat coronavirus using blood plasma from patients who’ve recovered from the disease. The announcement has brought a number of questions to many minds and in an attempt to answer major questions surrounding convalescent plasma as a COVID-19 treatment, WION spoke to New York-based Dr Dheeraj Kaul who happens to be a specialist in Nephrology geriatrics and pain management and has been following the developments. Also read | US authorises blood plasma treatment against coronavirus; Trump hails move What is convalescent plasma, and how does it work? When people get infected with COVID-19, their immune systems generate antibodies to fight the disease. Those antibody proteins float in their blood plasma, which is the liquid component of blood that suspends blood cells. In the convalescent plasma process, doctors harvest the plasma, test it for safety, and then purify it to isolate those antibodies. That convalescent plasma can be injected into another patient sick with COVID-19, and the antibodies it contains can help fight the virus early in an infection until the patient’s own immune system generates its own antibodies in sufficient quantities to beat back COVID-19. Doctors in the US started using convalescent plasma as early as April but only for patients who were very sick and were in the ICU on ventilators. “Over the months, we saw that people who were on the threshold of dying, a significant number of those people got better when given convalescent plasma, they were extubated and were out of the ICU and we were able to save lives,” said Kaul. On being asked the reason behind the delay for the authorisation, Dr Kaul said that there weren’t enough good studies that could support the data doctors could see, hence every hospital had to take individual permissions from patients to follow the process which also made the procedure cumbersome. Also, the limited number of convalescent plasma collecting sites like the Red Cross were not getting the green signal to go about with the process. In August, Mayo Clinic carried out a study based on a larger group of 35,000 people who were further divided into two groups- The first section getting the plasma within first 3 days of manifestation and infection. The second group was given the treatment after 4 days or more of getting infected. All of these people were hospitalised. Categorising the people who were involved in the study, Kaul said, “half of them were white, 38% were Hispanic, 16-17% were black and 3-4% were Asian and from other ethnicity. On day 7, they were checked for response and doctors found out that there was a startling 35% mortality reduction, which is huge in medical sciences.” It meant, if infected people are given C plasma earlier, 35 out of 100 people who are otherwise going to die, can be saved save from dying. One life in every three possibly dying people can be saved. Hence C plasma is being pushed with scientific backing and I have seen it work for first hand. Talking about FDA and the delay happening, it isn’t exactly a delay according to Dr Kaul because “every new idea is tested numerous times” and considering the unprecedented times we are living in, “this is a record time in which FDA has approved anything even for authorisation. Hence this is the fastest FDA could come. Most important things to be assured were that it does no harm and it does its work.” Dr Kaul looks satisfied with the US announcement that comes on the eve of Republican National Convention, where Trump will be nominated to lead his party for four more years. However, Dr Kaul definitely had something to say about the Russian vaccine that is surrounded by controversies and questions since the start despite Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioning that his daughter was one of those who took the vaccine. “Never have we used a vaccine that has not passed Stage 3 trials, it’s a very risky proposal. I as a physician will not be comfortable prescribing a Stage-2 passed vaccine to my patient,” said Dr Kaul. Report by: Anshu Dubey

People on the threshold of dying were saved: Dr Dheeraj Kaul on C- Plasma treatment

US President Donald Trump has touted the use of convalescent plasma as an effective treatment for COVID-19, adding the decision by regulators to put on hold an emergency authorisation for its use could be politically motivated.

People who survive an infectious disease such as COVID-19 are left with blood plasma containing antibodies the body's immune system created to fight off a virus. This can be transfused into newly infected patients to try to aid recovery.

An emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of blood plasma as a coronavirus treatment has been put on hold over concerns the data backing it was too weak, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

"It could be a political decision," Trump told a briefing on Wednesday.

He added, "I've heard fantastic things about convalescent plasma,"&nbsp;

"You have a lot of people over there that don't want to rush things because they want to do it after November 3," he said, referring to the presidential election.

"I've heard numbers way over 50% success. And people are dying and we should have it approved if it's good and I'm hearing it's good. I heard from people at the FDA that it's good."

US President Donald Trump has touted the use of convalescent plasma as an effective treatment for COVID-19, adding the decision by regulators to put on hold an emergency authorisation for its use could be politically motivated.

US President Donald Trump has touted the use of convalescent plasma as an effective treatment for COVID-19, adding the decision by regulators to put on hold an emergency authorisation for its use could be politically motivated. People who survive an infectious disease such as COVID-19 are left with blood plasma containing antibodies the body's immune system created to fight off a virus. This can be transfused into newly infected patients to try to aid recovery. An emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of blood plasma as a coronavirus treatment has been put on hold over concerns the data backing it was too weak, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. "It could be a political decision," Trump told a briefing on Wednesday. He added, "I've heard fantastic things about convalescent plasma," "You have a lot of people over there that don't want to rush things because they want to do it after November 3," he said, referring to the presidential election. "I've heard numbers way over 50% success. And people are dying and we should have it approved if it's good and I'm hearing it's good. I heard from people at the FDA that it's good."

Trump pitches convalescent plasma as an effective treatment for COVID-19

With hospitals in Pakistan overflowing with surging number of coronavirus cases across the country, a dangerous black market in blood plasma has come to the fore, reports said.

With hospitals in Pakistan overflowing with surging number of coronavirus cases across the country, a dangerous black market in blood plasma has come to the fore, reports said. According to The Guardian, the blood plasma of recovered coronavirus patients is now being sold for upwards of £3,000 to those who are desperately looking for a cure, at a time when doctors say Pakistan’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. Convalescent plasma is being trialled around the world as a possible treatment for the disease. It contains antibodies generated by the immune systems of people who have fought the virus. Doctors in government hospitals in Islamabad said they had witnessed transactions between patients and intermediaries, according to the report. Also read: Coronavirus patient recovers after plasma therapy in Pakistan The Guardian report stated that it has seen multiple text messages between people across Pakistan who are buying and selling the plasma of recovered patients. “The hospitals are not involved but I have seen deals happen in front of me,” the report said quoting a doctor at a government hospital in Islamabad, who asked not to be named. “Usually a patient’s attendants or family will approach someone who has recovered, asking them to donate blood. When a certain amount is agreed as payment, usually between 200,000 and 800,000 rupees (£950-£3,800), they go to a private lab and extract the plasma, which is then ‘donated’ to the patients.” Also read: UK set to test if COVID-19 survivors' blood plasma can be used for treatment He added: “I know a family of five who became Covid-19 positive and spent 3.5m rupees on blood plasma on the black market. They believe it’s a miracle cure.” Sources at the federal investigation agency confirmed they were aware of the unregulated black market sales of blood plasma but that it was up to the police to investigate individual cases. Doctors said that hospitals in Islamabad had also run out of vital drugs, such as dexamethasone which was recently proven to help in Covid-19 recovery, as well oxygen cylinders, because they had been stolen and were now being sold for 25 times the market price on the black market. Pakistan now has one of the fastest infection rates in the world, with 185,000 confirmed cases and upwards of 5,000 new infections a day. The planning minister, Asad Umar, has said cases could multiply eightfold by the end of July and hit 1.2 million.

Black market deals in blood plasma flourish in Pakistan amid rising COVID-19 cases: Report

Researchers have demonstrated that exposing the novel coronavirus to the vitamin riboflavin and ultraviolet light reduces the viral count in human plasma and whole-blood products, an advance that may help lower the possibility of transmission of the virus via blood transfusion.

The scientists from Colorado State University (CSU) in the US, said it is still unknown if the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, behind the COVID-19 pandemic, can be transmitted by blood transfusion.

In the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, they used a device called the Mirasol Pathogen Reduction Technology System to treat nine plasma and three whole-blood products.

"We eliminated a huge amount of virus and we could not detect the virus post-treatment," said Izabela Ragan, study co-author from CSU.

The device, invented by Ray Goodrich, senior author of the study from CSU, works by exposing the blood product or plasma to UV light.

Heather Pidcoke, another co-author on the study, explained that the blood product or plasma is placed in a specially designed storage bag, following which riboflavin solution is added to this, and the mixture is then exposed to UV light.

The device gently shakes the bag to circulate the blood cells, so the cells come to the surface where they are exposed to the UV light, the study noted.

However, the authors caution that this is not an experiment to try at home.

They said the light does not penetrate the entire bag, so it's not the same as exposing body parts to UV light.

The researchers said the device may help avoid what happened in the 1980s, when HIV was transmitted through blood and blood products while scientists were still trying to isolate and identify what might be causing the spread of the virus.

However, Goodrich noted that the Mirasol system is currently only approved for use outside of the US, mainly in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"Our research may help inform people outside the US who are using it," he said.

"They may breathe a sigh of relief knowing that while we continue to study this, there is some potential mitigation in place just in case," Goodrich added.&nbsp;

Researchers have demonstrated that exposing the novel coronavirus to the vitamin riboflavin and ultraviolet light reduces the viral count in human plasma and whole-blood products, an advance that may help lower the possibility of transmission of the virus via blood transfusion.

Researchers have demonstrated that exposing the novel coronavirus to the vitamin riboflavin and ultraviolet light reduces the viral count in human plasma and whole-blood products, an advance that may help lower the possibility of transmission of the virus via blood transfusion. The scientists from Colorado State University (CSU) in the US, said it is still unknown if the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, behind the COVID-19 pandemic, can be transmitted by blood transfusion. In the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, they used a device called the Mirasol Pathogen Reduction Technology System to treat nine plasma and three whole-blood products. "We eliminated a huge amount of virus and we could not detect the virus post-treatment," said Izabela Ragan, study co-author from CSU. The device, invented by Ray Goodrich, senior author of the study from CSU, works by exposing the blood product or plasma to UV light. Heather Pidcoke, another co-author on the study, explained that the blood product or plasma is placed in a specially designed storage bag, following which riboflavin solution is added to this, and the mixture is then exposed to UV light. The device gently shakes the bag to circulate the blood cells, so the cells come to the surface where they are exposed to the UV light, the study noted. However, the authors caution that this is not an experiment to try at home. They said the light does not penetrate the entire bag, so it's not the same as exposing body parts to UV light. The researchers said the device may help avoid what happened in the 1980s, when HIV was transmitted through blood and blood products while scientists were still trying to isolate and identify what might be causing the spread of the virus. However, Goodrich noted that the Mirasol system is currently only approved for use outside of the US, mainly in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. "Our research may help inform people outside the US who are using it," he said. "They may breathe a sigh of relief knowing that while we continue to study this, there is some potential mitigation in place just in case," Goodrich added.

Scientists develop method to reduce coronavirus count in plasma, blood products

Plasma therapy to fight <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/21797-covid-19-cases-in-india-confirmed-says-icmr-5-lakh-samples-tested-294152">COVID-19</a> infection has been a much discussed topic over the last few months.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/is-india-on-right-track-to-defeat-coronavirus-what-numbers-tell-294174">Also Read:&nbsp;Is India on right track to defeat coronavirus?&nbsp;</a>

On April 20, the ICMR gave permission to a Bengaluru-based research team to carry out a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma as a therapy to combat coronavirus.

Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients. In this treatment, plasma from a recovered COVID-19 patient is transfused into a coronavirus patient who is in critical condition.

The principle behind this therapy is that immunity can be transferred from a healthy person to a sick patient using convalescent plasma. The blood of the recovered patient would have developed antibodies against COVID-19, which may be beneficial to treat severely sick patients.&nbsp;

Dr Vishal Rao, a renowned Oncologist from Bengaluru, and his team are researching three different approaches to treating COVID-19 as of now - convalescent plasma protocol, cytokine therapy protocol and mesenchymal protocol for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

"In principle what we decided was that there are four groups of patients in COVID-19 which can be divided into three stages. Now 80 per cent of them do not require any treatment other than home rest and isolation. Another 15 per cent will require ICU admission at some point in time. Another 5 per cent will require ventilator support. Now the Cytokine therapy will be targeted on patients who are symptomatic - those who have fever, cough, cold without breathlessness. The second group of patients are those who have breathlessness and on them we are proposing to use Convalescent Plasma. When it comes to the ventilator-dependent patients - Mesenchymal protocol can be used," Dr Vishal Rao told WION.&nbsp;

In 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recommended plasma therapy to treat the Ebola virus disease. The plasma therapy was also used during Spanish flu pandemic and the H1N1 infection of 2009 as well.&nbsp;

The US-FDA has granted permission for use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with the therapy being administered in some critical cases. China, where the outbreak first emerged, had used this treatment to treat critical COVID-19 patients as well. Two trials of plasma therapy were conducted on 15 coronavirus patients and they showed improvement.&nbsp;

"The most important aspect here is safety of the clinical trial. When any new therapy is added to any new illness, we need to test its efficacy and check whether it is useful or not and whether it creates any complications," Dr Vishal Rao said.&nbsp;

The therapy, through transfusion of convalescent plasma, may prevent infection or blunt the severity of the infection in individuals with relatively recent exposure to the virus. In India, the Government Medical College in Delhi is also carrying out a trial for the same therapy.&nbsp;

"The way the immune system responds in every virus and every infection is different. Will the same tablet work in every patient? We know the answer is no. In the same way we don’t know how it will work in the current setting. Will it be helpful? What are the complications that might happen? As this is a new virus, our body is responding to it in a different way. That is why it is called a novel coronavirus," Dr Vishal Rao asserted.&nbsp;

The researchers are now arranging the required protocols to be met to start the clinical trial. Fortunately, they don’t have to wait too long for the results. The initial response after administering the plasma to the patient will be within a span of 48 hours.&nbsp;

The first set of results will be assessed within a week of the trials beginning. The trial will be based out of HCG Hospitals in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

According to data from cochrane community - a global independent network of researchers, at least 400 clinical trials are registered across the world for COVID-19 pandemic of which 55 are focused on Convalescent plasma usage.&nbsp;

Plasma therapy to fight COVID-19 infection has been a much discussed topic over the last few months. Also Read: Is India on right track to defeat coronavirus? On April 20, the ICMR gave permission to a Bengaluru-based research team to carry out a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma as a therapy to combat coronavirus.

Plasma therapy to fight COVID-19 infection has been a much discussed topic over the last few months. Also Read: Is India on right track to defeat coronavirus? On April 20, the ICMR gave permission to a Bengaluru-based research team to carry out a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma as a therapy to combat coronavirus. Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients. In this treatment, plasma from a recovered COVID-19 patient is transfused into a coronavirus patient who is in critical condition. The principle behind this therapy is that immunity can be transferred from a healthy person to a sick patient using convalescent plasma. The blood of the recovered patient would have developed antibodies against COVID-19, which may be beneficial to treat severely sick patients. Dr Vishal Rao, a renowned Oncologist from Bengaluru, and his team are researching three different approaches to treating COVID-19 as of now - convalescent plasma protocol, cytokine therapy protocol and mesenchymal protocol for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. "In principle what we decided was that there are four groups of patients in COVID-19 which can be divided into three stages. Now 80 per cent of them do not require any treatment other than home rest and isolation. Another 15 per cent will require ICU admission at some point in time. Another 5 per cent will require ventilator support. Now the Cytokine therapy will be targeted on patients who are symptomatic - those who have fever, cough, cold without breathlessness. The second group of patients are those who have breathlessness and on them we are proposing to use Convalescent Plasma. When it comes to the ventilator-dependent patients - Mesenchymal protocol can be used," Dr Vishal Rao told WION. In 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recommended plasma therapy to treat the Ebola virus disease. The plasma therapy was also used during Spanish flu pandemic and the H1N1 infection of 2009 as well. The US-FDA has granted permission for use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with the therapy being administered in some critical cases. China, where the outbreak first emerged, had used this treatment to treat critical COVID-19 patients as well. Two trials of plasma therapy were conducted on 15 coronavirus patients and they showed improvement. "The most important aspect here is safety of the clinical trial. When any new therapy is added to any new illness, we need to test its efficacy and check whether it is useful or not and whether it creates any complications," Dr Vishal Rao said. The therapy, through transfusion of convalescent plasma, may prevent infection or blunt the severity of the infection in individuals with relatively recent exposure to the virus. In India, the Government Medical College in Delhi is also carrying out a trial for the same therapy. "The way the immune system responds in every virus and every infection is different. Will the same tablet work in every patient? We know the answer is no. In the same way we don’t know how it will work in the current setting. Will it be helpful? What are the complications that might happen? As this is a new virus, our body is responding to it in a different way. That is why it is called a novel coronavirus," Dr Vishal Rao asserted. The researchers are now arranging the required protocols to be met to start the clinical trial. Fortunately, they don’t have to wait too long for the results. The initial response after administering the plasma to the patient will be within a span of 48 hours. The first set of results will be assessed within a week of the trials beginning. The trial will be based out of HCG Hospitals in Bengaluru. According to data from cochrane community - a global independent network of researchers, at least 400 clinical trials are registered across the world for COVID-19 pandemic of which 55 are focused on Convalescent plasma usage.

Bengaluru team to conduct trial on convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients