No evidence of Remdesivir's effectiveness, might be dropped as COVID-19 treatment: Dr DS Rana

Ganga Ram hospital Chairperson Dr DS Rana on Tuesday said that Remdesivir is also being considered to be dropped from COVID-19 treatment soon as there is no evidence of its effectiveness in treating COVID-19 patients. This move comes after, the use of convalescent plasma has been dropped from the recommended treatment protocols for COVID -19, according to an advisory from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

While talking to ANI, Ganga Ram hospital Chairperson Dr DS Rana said, "In plasma therapy, we give a pre-forwarded antibody to someone who has been infected before, so that the antibody can fight with the virus. Antibodies usually form when the coronavirus attacks. We have seen in the last one year that giving plasma does not make any difference in the condition of the patient and other people. Also, it is not easily available. Plasma therapy was started on a scientific basis and has been discontinued on the basis of evidence."

"If we talk about other medicines which we use in COVID treatment, there is no such evidence regarding Remdesivir that works in COVID-19 treatment. Medicines that do not have any activity to work, will have to be discontinued", said Dr Rana.

"All the experimental medicines, be plasma therapy (which is now discontinued) or Remdesivir, all of them may be dropped soon as there is no such evidence of its functioning. Right now only three medicines are working", Dr Rana said.

"Right now, we all are examining and monitoring. The medical fraternity is trying to gather more information, by the time you gain full knowledge about this pandemic, I think it will be over", he said.

The use of convalescent plasma has been dropped from the recommended treatment protocols for COVID-19 , according to the latest guidelines released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday.

With the cases surging in the country, there has been a spur in the demand for plasma donors, even as experts raise concerns over the effectiveness of plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients.