WHO Strongly Recommends Against COVID-19 Plasma Therapy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly advised against using plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients.

According to the US economic media CNBC on the 6th (local time), WHO stated that there is no evidence that convalescent plasma therapy is effective for COVID-19 patients. This recommendation is based on evidence from 16 clinical trials involving 16,236 patients.

In a recent paper published in the British Medical Journal, WHO stated, "Plasma transfusion did not improve survival or reduce the need for mechanical ventilation," adding that "it is costly and time-consuming to administer."

They further emphasized, "We strongly recommend against plasma therapy for mild, severe, and critically ill patients," and stressed that "plasma therapy should only be used as part of clinical trials."

Convalescent plasma is the liquid part of blood extracted from patients recovering from COVID-19, containing antibodies formed after infection with the virus. When injected into the blood of COVID-19 patients, these antibodies are known to neutralize the coronavirus and prevent cell damage, contributing to the improvement of some symptoms.

While plasma therapy was considered a potential treatment option early in the pandemic, it is now only used in limited clinical trials.

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