Led by the consistent efforts of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab has received the nod from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to undertake clinical trials for Convalascent Plasma Therapy on COVID-19 patients.It may be recalled that Captain Amarinder had allowed use of this therapy when ACP Kohli inflicted with coronavirus and admitted in SPS Hospital Ludhiana. The state govt had provided all support and former Director PGIMER, Chandigarh Prof. Dr K.K. Talwar, had organised the requisite professional guidance but ACP Kohli's condition deteriorated before the therapy could be tried out. The matter was, however, pursued and a formal proposal sent to ICMR for formal approval. Additional Chief Secretary Governance Reforms and Chairman, COVID Health Sector Response & Procurement Committee, Vini Mahajan said that the ICMR, New Delhi, had given its nod to conduct the trial, which is expected to commence shortly.According to the ACS, the Government Medical College Amritsar and Patiala, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Amritsar, the Christian Medical College and Hospital at Ludhiana, the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital at Ludhiana and Satguru Partap Singh Hospital, also in Ludhiana, have partnered to undertake the clinical trial of Convalascent Plasma Therapy.
The inter-institution coordination would be done by the Principal Investigators, who would also ensure that the entire trial is conducted in strict accordance with the ICMR protocol at each institution.Giving details Vini Mahajan further said that with the able guidance & expertise of Dr K. K. Talwar, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by the Principal Investigators, including Dr. Aikaj Jindal, the Head of Department, Transfusion Medicine, Satguru Partap Singh Hospital, Ludhiana; and Dr. M Joseph John, Head of Department, Clinical Hematology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana Dr. M Joseph John.She further said that Punjab was united in this latest effort to fight against Covid, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. K K Talwar and Former Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Prof. Dr. Neelam Marwaha.Under the able guiding vision of mentors like Principal, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana Dr. Jeyaraj D Pandian, and Professor and Medical Superintendent Hero DMC Heart Institute, Ludhiana Prof. Dr. Bishav Mohan, the necessary formalities and documentation had been done accomplished to secure ICMR approval for the Clinical Trial for Convalescent Plasma therapy for COVID -19 patients, under the programme titled " A Phase II, Open Label, Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Convalescent Plasma to Limit COVID-19 Associated Complications in Moderate Disease" .