First experiment of plasma therapy successful: Maharashtra health minister

PTI | Apr 29, 2020, 16:25 IST

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.
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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.
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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.