THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, April 13, said it is still studying the effectiveness of convalescent plasma therapy as treatment for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Convalescent plasma therapy is the transfusion of blood drawn from a person who has recently recovered from a disease so it can be screened for antibodies which can be used to treat other sick people.
“Ito ang transfusion ng dugo mula sa taong gumaling sa Covid-19 sa isang patient na kasalukuyang lumalaban pa sa Covid-19. Ang idea po ay dahil gumaling na ang tao mayro’n na po siyang antibodies na lumaban sa virus at maaaring makatulong ito sa mga taong may sakit pa,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained Monday, April 13.
(The idea is to transfuse blood drawn from a Covid-19 survivor into a patient who is still fighting the virus. The idea is that the survivor has the antibodies required to fight the virus.)
The blood plasma is the yellowish liquid component of blood that carries cells and proteins throughout the body.
According to Vergeire, the therapy needs more research.
“May ilan nang naunang pag-aaral na maging epektibo ito sa Covid-19 ngunit kailangan pa ng pag aaral,” Vergeire said.
“Sa ngayon po ang Philippine General Hospital (PGH) pa lamang ang nag-submit sa DOH para maisagawa ang convalescent plasma therapy na ito,” she added.
Vergeire said the therapy is still “experimental and investigational.”
“Hindi sigurado na magiging epektibo sila, kailangan pa maipaliwanag ang possibleng maging side effecgts na maidudulot nito,” Vergeire said.
“Ang mga ospital naman ay kailangang ibalita ang bawat transfusion ng dugo sa Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lalo na po kung magkakaroon ito ng adverse effects. Hindi pa po rehistrado at aprroved ng FDA bilang treatment ang convalescent plasma therapy,” she said.
Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who has recovered from Covid-19, posted on his Twitter account Monday that he had donated his blood for the convalescent plasma therapy.
He also called on other Covid-19 survivors to donate their blood. (SunStar Philippines)