Rajesh Tope: State to continue with plasma therapy trials

Maharashtra is one of the worst hit state by the deadly disease. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra have neared 10,000, and over 400 patients have died due to the infection in the state.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said plasma therapy trials for Covid-19 will continue in the state. The statement comes from the minister after Central health ministry stated plasma therapy isn't a proven therapy and it should only be used for research and not as a regular line of treatment for Covid-19 patients.

Tope said , "these are trials that have been allowed and more centres in the state would be roped in once they meet Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines."

We have centres approaching ICMR for permission to conduct plasma therapy trials. We will back this as research and trials are important. 

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday confirmed that the first experiment to use plasma therapy for treating a COVID-19 patient has been successful.

In Plasma therapy, immunity can be transferred from a healthy person to a sick patient using convalescent plasma. This therapy uses antibodies from the blood of a recovered COVID-19 patient to treat another critical patient.