Mumbai: The first experiment to use plasma therapy for treating a COVID-19 patient has been successful in Maharashtra, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said here on Wednesday.
"The first plasma therapy has been successful in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. We are carrying out a second experiment on another patient in BYL Nair hospital, also in Mumbai. We are hopeful that it will be successful as well," he told reporters.
Convalescent Plasma Therapy is an experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients. In this treatment plasma, a blood component, from a cured COVID-19 patient is transfused to a critically ill coronavirus patient.
The blood of a person who has recovered from COVID-19 develops antibodies to battle against the virus. This therapy uses antibodies from the blood of a cured coronavirus patient to treat another critical patient.
As per Union Health Ministry, however, plasma therapy should not be used as a treatment against COVID-19 since there is no proof yet that it works and without following due procedure, it could lead to life-threatening complications.
Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will begin a study on the efficacy of plasma therapy this week involving 450 people, said a government source familiar with the development.
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