Plasma therapy trials to treat coronavirus patients begin in Karnataka

(Eds: updating with more inputs)

Bengaluru, Apr 25 () The Karnataka government onSaturday commenced clinical trials of convalescent plasmatherapy to treat coronavirus patients in critical condition.

Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr.K Sudhakar, alongwith Health and Family Welfare Minister Sriramulu inauguratedclinical trials of the Therapy at Victoria hospital here.

"This is a historic moment for the state and I amconfident that Plasma therapy will help serious COVID-19affected patients to recover.

I have always maintained that Plasma treatment is veryeffective for patients in critical condition and am relievedwhen we got permission for trials and able to commence trialsin just 3-4 days after receiving permission from the Centre,"Sudhakar was quoted as saying in a release.

The Minister, who is leading the government's effortsagainst COVID-19 in Bengaluru and is in charge of the statewar room, also thanked the person who fully recovered fromCOVID-19 and volunteered to donate plasma cells, as he urgedsuccessfully treated patients to come forward to donate plasmaand help in recovery of patients in Intensive Care Units.

Trials for treatment of patients on ventilators willstart next week, he added.

According to officials, patients who have recovered fromCOVID-19 have been requested to come forward as donors, asantibodies of cured patients will be used to treat criticallyill under this therapy.

In this treatment, plasma cells from a COVID-19 patientwho has recovered from the disease is transfused into acornonavirus patient who is in critical condition by infusingplasma therapy.

According to the last update, five COVID-19 patients arein ICUs in the state.

Health Minister Sriramulu expressed the hope that theConvalescent Plasma Therapy will be a torchbearer in the fightagainst the virus.

"Karnataka has taken a lead role as we initiate Phase Iclinical trials to use Convalescent Plasma Therapy for severeCOVID-19 infected patients.

BMC Victoria hospital took the first step today. We aredetermined to vanquish this enemy of mankind," he said in atweet.

The Directorate of Public Health under Union Governmentrecently accorded permission for using plasma therapy for thetreatment of COVID-19 patients in Karnataka.

Dr Vishal Rao of the Bangalore Institute of Oncology wasgiven permission to conduct clinical trail on this.

Plasma therapy was effectively used in the past duringEbola and Spanish flu pandemic. KSU APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH