The use of Remdesivir for treatment of Covid-19 patients in India may be stopped due to lack of evidence regarding its effectiveness, said Dr DS Rana, chairperson, Ganga Ram hospital.
"If we talk about other medicines which we use in Covid-19 treatment, there is no such evidence regarding Remdesivir that works in Covid-19 treatment. Medicines that do not have any activity to work, will have to be discontinued," Dr Rana told ANI.
"All the experimental medicines, be it plasma therapy (which is now discontinued) or Remdesivir, all of them may be dropped soon as there is no such evidence of its functioning. Right now, only three medicines are working", he added.
Dr Rana further said the medicines that don’t show any result in treating Covid-19 will have to be discontinued.
Dr Rana told ANI that they have observed in the last year that giving plasma does not make the condition of the patient any better and it is not easily available. “Plasma therapy was started on a scientific basis and has been discontinued on the basis of evidence," he said.
The use of convalescent plasma therapy was dropped from Covid-19 treatment protocol on Monday on the basis of latest guidelines released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
"Right now, we all are examining and monitoring. The medical fraternity is trying to gather more information, by the time you gain full knowledge about this pandemic, I think it will be over," he said.
(Published 19 May 2021, 08:05 IST)
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