Plasma donation by singer Kanika Kapoor not happening now

A fortnight after Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor offered to donate plasma for the treatment of other COVID-19 patients, the idea has fizzled out.

A doctor at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) here said they cannot use the plasma because of her family’s medical history.

The singer faces a police case after allegedly hiding her COVID-19 status.

Plasma therapy, still at the trial stage for treating those infected with coronavirus, involves transfusion of plasma extracted from the blood of a recovered COVID-19 patient to someone suffering from it.

On April 27, Kapoor had expressed a desire to donate plasma for treating other patients, doctors said.

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A blood test cleared her for the procedure. Later, she mentioned her family’s medical history and asked doctors if she was a fit case for plasma donation, they said.

Doctors said she did not refuse to donate plasma but now they are also reluctant to accept it because of her family’s medical history.

“Information about family history cannot be shared with the media as it is against medical ethics,” Dr Tulika Chandra, Head of Department of Transfusion Medicine at KGMU, told PTI.

“Kanika Kapoor’s plasma cannot be taken for the treatment of a COVID-19 patient, but taking her plasma for research can be considered,” she said “If in future her plasma is needed for research, it could be considered," she added.

Despite repeated attempts, Kapoor could not be contacted for comment.

Five recovered patients have donated plasma at KGMU so far, a doctor said.

The singer tested positive for coronavirus on March 20 and faced controversy over whether she should have gone into self-quarantine following her return from a trip abroad.

She was booked for negligence and committing acts likely to spread the infection after she attended at least three gatherings in Lucknow, according to police.

One of the parties was also attended by former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje and her son Dushyant Singh. They later went into self-quarantine.

The singer had denied the charge that she put anybody at possible risk.

In a statement on April 26, Kapoor said she was aware of "several versions” about her diagnosis, but "negativity thrown at a person does not change the reality".

She said some of these stories were fuelled by her silence till then and the truth will eventually prevail.