JIPMER offers immunotherapy to treat autoimmune diseases

Premier state-run health institute JIPMER here today claimed it has successfully used a sophisticated procedure to treat autoimmune disorders for the first time in the country, offering hope to people suffering from the chronic illness.
The cost of immunotherapy procedure would be more than Rs 10 lakhs but would be provided without any charge for patients eligible for free treatment, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Director Dr S C Parija said in a release.
"This is for the first time that such an advanced procedure has been performed in India," the Director said adding the immunotherapy procedure available inJIPMER would benefit the patients suffering autoimmune disorders.

He said a middle-aged patient with scleroderma, a condition which caused tightening and darkening of the skin on his hands and feet, from neighbouring Tamil Nadu had undergone immunotherapy at JIPMER in January this year and recovered fully. He was presently under close follow up in the hospital.
A team of doctors led by Dr Vir Singh Negi, the Head of the Department of Clinical Immunology in JIPMER put the patient on the immunotherapy procedure.
Parija said immunotherapy was a novel concept involving resetting of immune system to its original state using a variety of strategies including "monoclonal antibodies and stem cell therapy".

It would be an important treatment option in future for patients suffering from severe autoimmune disorders like SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis and multiple sclerosis," he added.
Autoimmune diseases or disorders are chronic illnesses affecting multiple organs of the body resulting in significant impairment of quality of life and high risk of death.
Parija said the state-of-the-art treatment would be offered to patients with autoimmune diseases from all over the country and more particularly from southern states.