Trump announces convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19 patients

Washington: Donald Trump announced emergency authorisation to treat Covid-19 patients with convalescent plasma- a move which he called a breakthrough.

The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine.

The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.

In a letter describing the emergency authorisation, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: “Covid-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with Covid-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”

More than 70,000 patients in the US have been given convalescent plasma. It's a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all infections.