Antibody cocktail therapy started in five govt hosps

kolkata: Five government hospitals in the city have started antibody cocktail therapy on the mild Covid infected patients, who are also suffering from various critical ailments including cancer.

The hospitals have initiated the move after the expert committee formed by the state Health department gave a clearance.

The patients with mild symptoms and also having other critical ailments will be administered antibody cocktail therapy with a purpose to check the fatality rate.

The five hospitals - Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Sambhunath Pandit Hospital, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Beliaghata ID Hospital and MR Bangur Hospital have already started the method on some patients.

It would be done on a large scale once the detailed list of the beneficiaries are prepared by the Health department.

The health experts are of the view that the antibody cocktail will bring better results.

A thorough study was conducted by the expert committee prepared by the Health department and necessary recommendations have been made.

The two member expert committee consisting of Dr Santanu Tripathi and Dr Jyotirmoyo Pal had submitted a report to the department on the basis of their observation.

The committee recommended that an antibody cocktail - a combination of two injections-Casirivimab and Imdevimab can be applied on the patients with mild infections. The treatment was approved in India in May.

The Health department prepared a guideline on the basis of the observation submitted by the expert committee in this regard.

The guideline gives an outline as to how the antibody cocktail would be administered on patients after examining the efficacy of the antibody cocktail.

"The family members of the patients on whom the therapy is done are kept in touch with the health professionals and the patients are advised to get admitted if there is any deterioration of their health condition. The response so far has been good. It will be applied on many more patients in the near future.

The combination of drugs can be applied on the patient within 3-4 days from contracting the virus.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has also given some directives.

"The therapy of antibody cocktail cannot be administered on patients who are on ventilation support," said a senior health official.