Evidence and data available at the moment is not strong enough to start the clinical studies, said Dr Y K Gupta
Current Affairs : The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has chosen not to proceed with Jal Shakti Ministry’s proposition to attempt clinical examinations for treatment of COVID-19 patients with Ganga water, saying it needs increasingly logical information.
Dr Y K Gupta, who is leading the board of trustees for Evaluation of Research Proposals at ICMR, said the proof and information accessible right now isn’t sufficiently able to begin the clinical investigations by various courses/types of Ganga water for treatment of coronavirus.
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), an arm of the Jal Shakti Ministry that manage the restoration program for the stream, had gotten various proposition, including from individuals and NGOs taking a shot at Ganga, to attempt clinical investigations for treatment of coronavirus patients with the water, authorities said.
The proposition were likewise sent to the ICMR.
Gupta, who is likewise a previous senior member of the AIIMS, stated, “At present the proposition needs a lot of logical information, confirmation of idea and a solid foundation speculation. This has been passed on to them (NMCG).”
NMCG authorities said the recommendations were examined with the researchers of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which had prior directed an investigation ‘Appraisal of Water Quality and Sediment to comprehend the extraordinary properties of River Ganga’.
Aditi Mehta 