First experiment of plasma therapy successful in Maha: Tope

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has informed that the first experiment to use plasma therapy for COVID-19 has been successful. The feat was achieved by Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. The minister further told reporters that a second experiment is being carried out at the BYL Nair hospital, also in Mumbai.

Mumbai: The first experiment to use plasma therapy for treating a COVID-19 patient has been successful in Maharashtra, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said here on Wednesday.

"The first plasma therapy has been successful in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. We are carrying out a second experiment on another patient in BYL Nair hospital, also in Mumbai. We are hopeful that it will be successful as well," he told reporters.

Convalescent Plasma Therapy is an experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients. In this treatment plasma, a blood component, from a cured COVID-19 patient is transfused to a critically ill coronavirus patient.

The blood of a person who has recovered from COVID-19 develops antibodies to battle against the virus. This therapy uses antibodies from the blood of a cured coronavirus patient to treat another critical patient.

As per Union Health Ministry, the plasma therapy is at experimental stage and there is no evidence yet to support that it can be used as treatment for COVID-19.

PTI