Karachi: Three hospitals in Sindh have started trials for a COVID-19 treatment called passive immunisation, according to a news source. The hospitals began these trials after the Sindh government issued its approval last week.
Passive immunisation is a COVID-19 treatment in which medical professionals infuse patients with blood plasma from recovered patients. Consultant haematologist and transplant physician Dr Tahir Shamsi proposed this treatment. He revealed that two hospitals in Karachi and one in Hyderabad had started clinical trials for this process. Two hospitals in other provinces have also commenced with these trials.
The Sindh health department gave its approval to the following institutes for these trials; the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) in Karachi, the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, and Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad.
Dr Shamsi revealed that trials for the same treatment were also taking place at the University of Health Sciences, Lahore. He further stated that he had submitted the treatment plan for approval to the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), which allowed the clinical trial process to begin.
This treatment aims to prevent moderate and severe patients from going on ventilators. The infused blood plasma will give these patients passive immunity towards the disease.
