Q. Why is this in news ?
A. Recently published findings on convalescent plasma therapy on Covid-19 patients have triggered a debate over its efficacy. After the country’s largest such trial, known by the acronym PLACID, found that convalescent plasma was ineffective in arresting Covid-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been considering dropping this option from the national guidelines. However, in several states including most-affected Maharashtra and Delhi, health authorities continue to push the option while those running plasma blood banks promote it with anecdotal accounts on social media.
Q. What is this therapy?
Q. What has happened to spark the debate?
Q. What are the trial findings?
Q. Have there been such results elsewhere?
Q. So, who all are still pushing convalescent plasma therapy?
Q. What happens if ICMR does remove the therapy from its guidelines?
Q. What is the way forward, then?