Does plasma therapy help coronavirus patients? This study reveals shocking results

Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is being used across the world in hopes of treating serious cases of coronavirus.

Data from a clinical trial in Argentina claims that using blood plasma of coronavirus survivors in severe cases of pneumonia triggered by the virus exhibited very little benefit.

Known as “convalescent plasma therapy”, it delivers COVID-19 antibodies to people infected with the virus.  The trials found that plasma did not improve the health of patients or reduce their risk of death due to the virus. 

Also read: No evidence plasma therapy can be used as treatment for COVID-19: Health ministry

The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine. There exists limited evidence of the effectiveness of plasma therapy touted as "historic" by the outgoing US President Donald Trump in August.

The study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and takes into account 333 hospitalised patients who had developed severe pneumonia.

They were randomly assigned plasma or a placebo. In 30 days, researchers did not see any differences in the symptoms and health of patients, with the mortality rate remaining unchanged at 11 per cent in the group who received plasma, and 11.4 per cent among the placebo group.

Also read: Maharashtra to conduct world’s largest convalescent plasma therapy trial

Such differences are considered statistically insignificant. 

A study conducted in India in October revealed that plasma therapy helped in evening out symptoms among COVID-19 patients who were experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue. However, the risk of death and the onset of severe symptoms was not reduced.