ICMR drops use of convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19 patients

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday dropped the use of convalescent plasma for treating COVID-19 patients from the Clinical Management Guidelines, reported PTI. The ICMR-National Task Force for COVID-19 held a meeting on Friday in which all the members were in favour of dropping the use of plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients, the news agency reported quoting sources.

Also read: US halts COVID-19 plasma treatment trial after little result

The members had cited the procedure’s ineffectiveness and inappropriate use in several cases. 

As per the previous guidelines,  “off-label” use of plasma therapy was allowed at the stage of early moderate disease, that is, within seven days of the onset of symptoms and if there is the availability of a high titre donor plasma.

The ICMR’s decision comes in the backdrop of a letter sent by some clinicians and scientists to Principal Scientific Advisor K VijayRaghavan. In the letter,  which was also marked to ICMR chief Balram Bhargava and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, the public health professionals cautioned against the “irrational and non-scientific use” of plasma therapy in India.

They alleged that the procedure’s use was not based on existing evidence. 

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“The current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma for treatment of COVID-19. However, it continues to be prescribed rampantly in hospitals across India,” they wrote in the letter, the news agency reported.

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In plasma therapy, antibodies from the blood of a COVID-19 patient who has recovered are used to treat serious patients.