‘Will continue plasma bank but not promote it’

A Delhi government-run plasma bank for COVID-19 treatment at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) will continue operations but the facility “will not promote” it, said ILBS Director S.K. Sarin

On Monday, the Indian Council of Medical Research had dropped the use of convalescent plasma therapy from the recommended treatment guidelines for COVID-19.

“The plasma bank will continue as part of the blood bank. We will not promote it as a treatment, but if any doctor wants to use it, we will provide the plasma,” Dr. Sarin said.

On the other hand, some hospitals have stopped plasma therapy for COVID-19. “I have used plasma therapy for COVID-19 only once and that too in May last year. There were studies after it that it did not lead to any clinical improvement,” said Manoj Sharma, senior consultant of Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital.

The hospital group has stopped any new plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients.

Max Healthcare group, which has been doing plasma therapy, did not comment on whether they have stopped it or will continue it.