We are expecting for DCGI approval for plasma treatment for COVID-19: ICMR

India's apex medical research institute, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is waiting for approval from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for a clinical trial for convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19.

New Delhi: If everything goes well, India will soon start a clinical trial for convalescent plasma treatment for COVID-19. At a time when the entire globe is struggling to get anti-COVID-19 drugs, through this plasma treatment COVID-19 patients can be cured.

India's apex medical research institute, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is waiting for approval from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).

"After DCGI give its approval for clinical trial we will go for it...It may take some time," said Dr Manoj Murhekar, director of the Indian Institute of Epidemiology while talking to ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

DCGI has the authority to give approval of licenses for specified categories of drugs such as blood and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines and sera.

Plasma treatment involves injecting a COVID-19 patient with the blood plasma of people who recovered from the infectious disease.

"Blood plasma from recovered patients will be used for treating COVID-19 infected patients," said Dr Murhekar.

In the plasma treatment, antibodies of a recovered person can help the recovery of a sick person. The antibodies are present in the plasma, the yellowish liquid portion of the blood.

"Initially it will be on a study mood. And if everything goes well, it will be made applicable for use," said Dr Murhekar.

"The DCGI is also examining the guidelines for blood donors as we will need blood from the cured patients," said Dr Murhekar.

Blood of those people who earlier proved positive and then recovered from COVID-19 and shows no sign of infection for 2-3 weeks will be selected as donors.

Dr Murhekar said that the therapy was found successful in some other countries in the clinical trial. It may be mentioned here that, US Food and Drug Administration has also approved clinical trials of the plasma treatment on critical patients.