'Excessive Covid investigational therapies may do more harm than good': ICMR warns states

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic when the cases are on an alarming surge, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has cautioned the state bodies to judiciously use the investigational therapies for COVID-19. The apex health research body said that excessive use of such therapies may cause more harm than good.

This seemingly comes after the drug Remdisivir was found to be in shortage in several places leading to a steep surge in the selling price of the drug used for treating COVID-19 patients. ICMR had advised using such therapies on critically ill patients under medical supervision where the cases can be closely monitored so that any complications can be dealt with.

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ICMR and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said, “indiscriminate use or use in conditions for which they (investigational therapies) are not desirable may cause more harm than good”.

In a video conference with the states on Friday, the ICMR and AIIMS reiterated that there is no cure yet on COVID-19 and the therapies used are largely based on collaborative systems and hence the drugs used as research methods should be used with caution as they can have an adverse impact on other organs including liver and kidneys, the Union Health Ministry apprised on Saturday.

The drugs used as research methods have still not been approved by DCGI and are only permitted for restricted Emergency Use for COVID-19, the Union Health Ministry quoted ICMR as saying.

ICMR on July 9 said that a nationwide serological survey will be conducted to determine the exposure of the virus among the population. It said that the survey would be a follow-up to a similar study conducted in May earlier this year, the results of which are yet to be released.

The serosurvey study involves testing of blood serum of people to check for the prevalence of antibodies against coronavirus infection. The final results of the serosurvey conducted by the ICMR in May, which focused on infections of mid-April is still under process, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

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