AIIMS chief decodes Plasma Therapy, says not enough antibodies in recovered persons

All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Randeep Guleria has highlighted that the Plasma Therapy - used to treat COVID-19 patients - is just a form of treatment and should not be looked at as 'magic bullets.' Plasma Therapy, which involves transfusion of blood from a Coronavirus recovered patient to an infected one, has been touted as a potential treatment for the deadly disease. The AIIMS Director also clarified that the therapy is just a 'treatment strategy' and it is not sure that the therapy will be effective in every case. 

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AIIMS Director Guleria stated that the therapy should be looked at as a research type of treatment modality rather than something which can be done for all patients suffering from COVID-19. He added that several hospitals across the country are currently doing further research on the therapy. Guleria also clarified that there is no data that shows plasma therapy can be given to healthcare workers as an immunity booster.

Furthermore, Guleria highlighted that the individuals who have recovered from Coronavirus do not have a sufficient amount of antibodies in their blood as per certain studies. He stated that people who have recovered from the deadly disease and are willing to donate blood, their blood should have antibodies and studies have shown that there is not sufficient presence of antibodies based on the antibody testing kit.

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Even though plasma therapy has not been recognised as a concrete treatment for the deadly virus, the therapy has shown effective results. ICMR had first allowed Kerala to carry out therapy results and then Delhi where a 49-year-old male had shown positive results after receiving the treatment and was weaned off ventilator support. The apex medical council in the country has also allowed trials of the therapy in Mumbai and Karnataka as well. 

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'Plasma Therapy trials satisfactory'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a video conference on Friday addressed a press briefing on the initial positive results of the use of plasma treatment for COVID-19 patients. Kejriwal said that in the last few days, they have tried plasma therapy on 4 patients at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, and till now the results are encouraging. Delhi started plasma therapy trials for coronavirus infected patients on Tuesday and two people received the treatment.

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Speaking at the presser Kejriwal said, "The Central Government had given us permission to use plasma therapy to the serious patients of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and looking at their results the Centre we will approve it all over Delhi. The startling result is very encouraging. In the last few days, we have tried plasma therapy on 4 patients at LNJPN Hospital. Till now the results are satisfactory."