The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended yesterday do not use blood plasma of patients treated by COVID-19 for the treatment of patients with the disease caused by the new coronavirus, explaining that current data show that practice neither increases the chances of survival nor reduces the need for intubation.
The working hypothesis in the use of blood plasma is that The antibodies it contains can neutralize SARS-CoV-2, stopping it from reproducing and reducing tissue damage. Nevertheless Several studies on the use of blood plasma by recovering patients have shown no significant benefit in treating people with severe COVID-19.
A clinical trial in the US was suspended in March after it was found that plasma did not even help treat patients with mild to moderate symptoms of the disease. Moreover, this method is expensive and time consuming, the WHO added in a press release issued yesterday.
An international panel of experts has come up with a strong recommendation against the use of blood plasma by patients, explained the Organization, part of the UN system.
The recommendation applies to all cases, with the exception of randomized, controlled trials. The recommendation, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) review, is based on data from 16 trials in 16.236 patients with mild, severe and very severe COVID-19.