Earlier, we reported on the fact that the US had given emergency authorisation for the use of plasma to treat coronavirus patients.
When asked about the treatment later on Monday, World Health Organization (WHO) officials were cautious, describing it as “still an experimental treatment”. The risks and side effects associated with convalescent plasma must also be considered, they said, adding these could range from mild to severe.
“There are a number of clinical trials going on around the world looking at convalescent plasma compared to the standard of care,” Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, said. “Only a few of them have actually reported interim results… and at the moment, it’s still very low-quality evidence.”
Many countries are using plasma as a coronavirus therapy, but it’s not yet clear how effective the treatment is, says BBC Health Editor Michelle Roberts.
Patients whose own immune systems are struggling to fight off the virus might get protection from a transfusion of antibody-rich plasma from someone who has recovered from Covid-19.
Convalescent plasma has been used to successfully treat other diseases, including Ebola.
But a recent UK analysis said it remained “very uncertain” whether plasma was beneficial for people admitted to hospital with Covid-19.
BBC
