Although it has been officially stated on Tuesday by the Union Health Ministry that except for a state or two the Covid-19 pandemic is on the path of receding, confusion over a few areas of treatment protocol, particularly of the critical cases continue to sustain. After the WHO-monitored global clinical trial a couple of weeks ago concluded that the much-hyped anti-Covid drug Remdesivir neither prevents deaths nor reduces the duration of hospital stay in patients, the hint from ICMR, the apex medical research body in the country that there are chances of removal of plasma therapy from the national Covid-19 treatment protocol has added further to the prevailing confusion. Clearly, this has divided the country’s medical fraternity with a noticeable number of takers still confident of the treatment’s efficacy. One can imagine the extent of puzzlement the common people are undergoing- firstly there is no vaccine as of now and in addition there are back-to-back declarations that the limited treatment methodologies considered ‘trusted’ so far are faulty.

The ICMR’s anti-plasma-therapy stand is based on the findings of PLACID, the acronym of the trial it conducted over 464 patients in 39 hospitals across the country that verified the usefulness of plasma therapy in treating critically ill Covid patients. While it has been found that convalescent plasma is ineffective in arresting coronavirus’s destructive qualities, many from the medical fraternity are of the opinion that plasma therapy can still be used and it would be too early to erase it off completely from the national Covid treatment protocol. There is need for further research and deeper insights, before a decision is to be taken- is the observation of this section of doctors who have also cited a sizable number of cases who have been cured completely after its application. While it’s not crystal clear regarding plasma therapy’s discard or continuance at the moment across the country on an overall basis, that many ‘well-known’ personalities are being treated with this therapy, is making news. The latest in the line is Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s leader of the opposition who have been given a couple of doses and its health minister has also asserted that it’s very unlikely that plasma therapy will be discontinued so soon. Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain’s comment that but for the therapy his life wouldn’t have been saved also made headlines.

It needs no emphasising that the country is suffering a high-level of indecision regarding plasma therapy. The only way out will be to conduct further studies based on data from larger sample sizes and building of a consensus among the medical experts before arriving at a final verdict. Time is running out and a decision needs to be taken fast.