The French Medicines Agency, ANSM, announced on Thursday that it had authorized under strict conditions the use of plasma from cured patients to treat patients seriously affected by Covid-19.
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The use of plasma from recovered patients was already authorized in France, but only in the context of clinical trials such as that which started on April 7 under the aegis of the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), l 'French Blood Establishment (EFS) and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). But "given the potential severity of Covid-19 disease and in order to increase the chances of survival for patients with a severe form" , the Agency decided to regulate "the exceptional and temporary use of plasma people recovering from clinical trials in progress, ” according to an ANSM press release. This could be the case "when the inclusion of a patient in a trial is not or is no longer possible", specifies the ANSM.
"Antibodies active against the virus"
The current clinical trials aim to evaluate "the efficacy and the safety of the plasma of convalescent persons" for the management of patients "suffering from severe forms of coronavirus infection", explains the ANSM in a press release. "Some data show that the plasma of people who have been sick with Covid-19 contains active antibodies against the virus, which could improve the survival rate of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)" continues l 'Agency.
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However, to date, the effectiveness of these plasmas in the fight against Covid-19 has not been demonstrated, said the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM). "This is why the use of these plasmas must be done as a priority in the context of clinical trials, whenever possible" adds the ANSM.
