The process of seeking permission to start Convalescent Plasma therapy clinical trials for COVID-19 patients in Telangana was initiated on Wednesday. A committee was constituted to immediately coordinate with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other authorities to get permission for the clinical trials. Members of the committee have started to put in place work needed to get approval.
Plasma collected from patients who recovered from the infectious disease would contain antibodies which neutralises coronavirus. It is expected that the mortality rate might come down when plasma filled with neutralising antibodies are infused into critically ill patients. However, its effectiveness as a treatment option for COVID-19 is yet to be proved.
As there is no vaccine to treat the disease, Convalescent Plasma therapy is being considered as an option. The therapy dates back to more than a century when it was used in treatment of H1N1 influenza in 1918.
ICMR has invited letter of intent from institutions with equipment and infrastructure to participate in clinical trials to study the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients. Stating that the convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental procedure for COVID-19 patients, it said the hospitals and institutions planning to provide treatment should do so in clinical trials following protocols which includes registering with Clinical Trials Registry of India.
On Tuesday, Telangana Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy issued orders constituting a seven-member committee to complete the necessary formalities. M Raja Rao, professor of General Medicine at Gandhi Hospital was appointed principal investigator. Kerala has already received approval from ICMR. Efficacy of the therapy is being tested in other countries too.
Officials from Telangana said that with 118 people recovering from the infectious disease, the State has a good pool to draw donors of plasma.