Throwing a spanner in the Delhi Government’s ambitious plans to set up a Plasma Bank, the Centre in its revised guidelines for blood transfusion services in India has made it clear that for the collection of convalescent plasma and the clinical trials from cured Covid-19 patients, the donor selection criteria specifically for this purpose should be as prescribed by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
The guidelines which were issued on Monday with an aim to maintain a safe and adequate blood supply during the Covid-19 pandemic, also said that the use of convalescent plasma for routine treatment of virus infected patients is not recommended at present.
This means that the Delhi Government will have to seek nod from the drug regulator everytime it plans for plasma therapy, which might delay the treatment process.
The Union Health Ministry has updated the second interim-national guidance for blood transfusion services-taking inputs from the World Health Organisation (WHO) interim guidance and newer evidence generated for Covid-19.
Dr Sunil Gupta, additional director general, Blood Transfusion Services at NACO, has requested all the State AIDS Control Societies and State Blood Transfusion Councils to adopt the guidelines to their specific needs. Dr Gupta has directed the professionals engaged in blood transfusion services to facilitate the maintenance of adequate stocks of safe blood to meet requirements.
The latest guidance of safe blood transfusion service is in the suppression of the first guidance issued by NBTC on March 25.
While revising the existing national guidance for blood transfusion service, the National Blood Transfusion Councils (NTBC) has updated the exclusion criteria for donors to maintain blood safety, infection control measures etc. Use of facemask by healthcare providers in blood centre, blood mobile van or an outdoor blood donation camp shall be mandatory to prevent transmission of the virus.
The guidelines include factors like criteria for post-donation care, recommendation on testing of blood and blood components for Covid-19 pathogen reduction technologies etc, managing the supply chain system for commodities required in blood transfusion services, collection of convalescent plasma besides managing the supply chain system for commodities required in the blood transfusion service."
Though the guideline enables a platform for the collection of convalescent plasma to help re-entry of cured Covid-19 patients as donors for convalescent plasma for treatment of virus infected patients, it transplant cannot be done with out the approval of the DCGI.
Moreover, says the government document, the necessary guidelines for collection of convalescent plasma the recovered COVID-19 patients for the treatment of such cases will be issued as when the efficacy of this form of treatment is established and approved by the competent bodies.
The Delhi Government on Monday, the day the guidelines were issued had announced setting up the plasma bank within next few days to treat the patient with specific symptoms with Plasma therapy.
The State Government had supported its move by citing cases of Covid cured patients after they received Plasma therapy.