Plasma therapy trial starts in Bengaluru today

BENGALURU: The clinical trial in convalescent plasma therapy for treatment of critically ill Covid-19 patients will begin on Saturday, medical education minister K Sudhakar said on Friday. Bengaluru-based cancer hospital, HCG, in association with Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute was given the approval by the Drug Controller General of India for conducting clinical trials of convalescent plasma therapy three days ago.Plasma is the almost clear liquid part of the blood.
The plasma of a person — who has overcome an illness contains antibodies, protective proteins that fight disease and antigens like viruses—is called convalescent plasma. Convalescent plasma therapy holds hope for coronavirus-affected patients who are critically ill to be given the therapy, by using the blood plasma of a fully recovered Covid-19 patient.
The minister will visit Trauma Care Centre at Victoria Hospital on Saturday to launch the same. In the morning, he had taken part at a video conference with health ministers of all the states in India on Friday. Union health minister Dr Harshavardhan took part in the meeting. “The Union minister was appreciative of measures taken up by the state government. Karnataka model can be helpful for other states to contain the spread,” he said.