NTF, JMG will decide on continuing plasma therapy: ICMR

The National Task Force on COVID-19 and the joint monitoring group (JMG) in the Health Ministry will take a decision on whether to continue plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients in India after reviewing the data of its randomised controlled trial, the ICMR said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, ICMR Director General Dr. Balram Bhargava said a randomised controlled trial, including 464 patients in 39 hospitals in 25 districts across 14 States and UTs, has shown that plasma therapy does not reduce mortality or prevent progression from moderate to severe disease.

He said that plasma therapy has been used for more than 100 years now in some form or the other for various virus infections. It was used during ebola and it was also being used amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, India’s novel coronavirus tally crossed 49 lakh on Tuesday with 83,809 new cases, while 38.59 lakh people have recuperated so far, taking the recovery rate to 78.28%, the Health Ministry said.

The death toll rose to 80,776 with 1,054 more people succumbing to the infection. The case fatality rate stands at 1.64%, according to the Ministry data. — PTI