Published 23:04 IST, October 21st 2020
COVID-19: Satyendar Jain urges ICMR not to remove Plasma Therapy from treatment guidelines
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain backed the Convalescent Plasma Therapy and asked the ICMR not to remove it from COVID-19 national treatment protocol.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has asked the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) not to remove the Convalescent Plasma Therapy from COVID-19 national treatment protocol. He contended that the plasma therapy has proven helpful to thousand of people including himself adding that even the US has spoken in favour of the contentious therapy.
"Plasma therapy has proved beneficial to more than 2000 people who have availed donations through the Delhi Governments plasma bank. I, myself am a COVID-19 survivor because of plasma. Plasma therapy works and can help COVID patients get another chance at life, so ICMR shouldn't remove it. Even the US has said that it's beneficial," Jain said in a public address.
Plasma Therapy under scanner
The request by the Delhi Health Minister comes after ICMR chief Balram Bhargava on Tuesday during the Union Health Ministry briefing stated that the plasma therapy may be removed from the COVID-19 national treatment protocol after an ICMR study revealed that it did not help in reducing mortality or slow the progression of COVID-19.
The ICMR revealed the study upon investigating the effectiveness of plasma therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 after conducting a study in 39 hospitals across India.
The ICMR said that its researchers conducted an open-label, parallel-arm, phase II, multicentre, and randomized controlled trial from April 22 to July 14 adding that the trial was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) for the purpose.
"Convalescent plasma was not associated with a reduction in mortality or progression to severe COVID-19. This trial has a high generalized ability and approximates real-life setting of convalescent plasma therapy in settings with limited laboratory capacity. A priori measurement of neutralizing antibody titres in donors and participants may further clarify the role of CP in the management of COVID-19," concluded the findings of the study.
The Centre on Wednesday said India's recovery rate has reached 88.81, one of the highest recovery rates in the world, while the fatality rate is one of the lowest. As on Wednesday, India's Covid-19 tally stands at 76,51,107 of which 7,40,090 were active while massive 67,95,103 have been recovered. About 9,72,00,379 samples were tested in the country on Tuesday taking the tally of total COVID-19 tests conducted to 10,83,608, second highest in the world.
Updated 23:04 IST, October 21st 2020