E-Paper
Sassoon’s BCG clinical trials to treat Covid-19 await patient consent
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin is used to prevent meningitis. Dr Murlidhar Tambe dean, Sassoon, said, “We have not yet taken consent from the patients who will undergo this treatment. Since it is a clinical trial we will need the consent of the patient who will be given the dose of BCG.”
PUNE Sassoon General Hospital will soon start clinical trials of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to treat Covid-19 (coronavirus), patients. The trial is likely to start in a day or two, as the administration is yet to take consent from patients, said officials.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin is used to prevent meningitis.
Dr Murlidhar Tambe dean, Sassoon, said, “We have not yet taken consent from the patients who will undergo this treatment. Since it is a clinical trial we will need the consent of the patient who will be given the dose of BCG.”
“The hospital is listing and enrolling people who could be given the dose and then study its effects in case it would help in fighting the virus,” he added.
A study by researchers in Mumbai’s Haffkine Institute received permission to conduct human trials which will conduct its study in city’s Sassoon hospital. The hospital will the first in the state to carry out trials for the treatment of Covid-19. Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that there is no proof that it would work to control BCG, the study at Haffkine has shown promising results.
A similar study in the application of BCG in the treatment and prevention of Covid-19 is underway at Bharati hospital. Dr Sanjay Lalawani, medical director, Bharati Hospital, said, “This is a six-month trial wherein patients who have been exposed to the virus infection, health workers and close contacts of the patient would be given a dose of BCG.”
“There will be two groups, one which will receive the dose while the second which will not be given the dose. We will study the effects on both the groups and see if the vaccine works in increasing immunity or not,” he added.
