The Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) National task force on Covid-19 will meet on Friday to discuss the inappropriate use of convalescent plasma therapy in the treatment of ailing Covid-19 patients, news agency ANI reported quoting ICMR sources.
This meeting comes against the backdrop of clinicians and scientists in the country writing to the government’s principal scientific advisor K Vijay Raghavan urging caution against the “irrational and non-scientific use” of convalescent plasma in treating Covid-19 patients in India.
“We are writing to you as concerned clinicians, public health professionals and scientists from India about the irrational and non-scientific use of convalescent plasma for Covid-19 in the country,” a letter written by vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang and surgeon Pramesh C S among others said.
Concerns were raised after the Union health ministry issued a revised ‘Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult Covid-19 Patients’ on April 22, allowing the ‘off-label’ use of convalescent plasma to treat patients of Covid-19 afflicted with moderate symptoms, within 7 days of the onset of the disease.
Citing an ICMR-PLACID trial, the world’s first randomised control trial on the use of convalescent plasma conducted in 39 public and private hospitals across the nation, the letter also alleged that the current guidelines on plasma therapy are not based on existing evidence.
“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,” the letter said.
Explore the profound effects of excessive screen time on your child’s behavior and development. Discover…
Discover how simple daily changes in your diet and lifestyle can significantly improve your heart…
This article explores the common misconception that brain tumours primarily affect older adults, revealing the…
The first-ever ovarian cancer vaccine is poised to change the landscape of women's health by…
As dengue and chikungunya cases rise in Delhi during the monsoon season, understanding prevention strategies…
Skincare is a significant concern for women (and increasingly, men), with the quest for perfect,…