Plasma therapy can have threatening implications: Govt

Amidst the growing popularity of plasma therapy to treat Covid-19 patients, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has warned that the cure is still experimental & can create life-threatening complications in Covid-19 patients. It also clarified that for all purposes other than its use in a study being conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, the treatment by a medical facility administering it is “illegal”.

“ICMR has clearly stated that there are no approved therapies for Covid-19, including plasma therapy,” joint secretary (health) Lav Agarwal, observed.

One such institute which has been authorized by the ICMR is Max Healthcare in Saket, New Delhi, which used it on a critically ill 49-year-old Covid-19 patient, who was on ventilator support.