Coronavirus: Plasma Treatment Tried

The UK is trying to use the blood of survivors of coronavirus to treat inpatients who are ill.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) asks people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate blood so that treatments can be evaluated in trials.

We hope the antibodies they build will help get rid of others’ viruses.

The United States has already launched a major project to study this, involving more than 1,500 hospitals.

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When a person has Covid-19, the immune system responds by creating antibodies that attack the virus.

These accumulate over time and are found in the blood plasma, the liquid part of the blood.

NHSBT now wants to collect plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients to see if it can be given to people currently with the virus.

The statement of the organization states: “This is initially envisioned to be used as a potential treatment for Covid-19 in trials.

“If fully approved, the trial will investigate whether convalescent plasma transfusions can improve recovery rate and survival in Covid-19 patients.

“All clinical trials need to follow a rigorous approval process to protect patients and ensure reliable outcomes. We work closely with governments and all relevant agencies to approve We are proceeding with the process as quickly as possible. “

What should I know about the coronavirus?

Are other groups doing this?

Several groups in the UK are considering the use of plasma.

The University of Wales Hospital (UHW) in Cardiff announced this week that it would like to try this technology.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler, Dean of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Executive Director of Kings Health Partners, which includes King’s College London and three major London hospitals, also hopes to establish another small trial.

He wants to use plasma in critically ill patients who have no other treatment, but a larger national trial is underway.

“I would be disappointed if I couldn’t see a patient receiving this form of treatment within the next few weeks. Hope the NHSBT National Trial will launch really quickly.”

He said Britain moved slowly to test the treatment.

“In retrospect, I think there are many aspects to this pandemic. I wonder why we didn’t move a bit faster. I think this may be one of them.”

How is the situation in other countries?

Tests are underway around the world to consider the use of plasma.

In just three weeks, US scientists have organized a national project that has treated about 600 patients so far.

Professor Michael Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic leads the research.

“What we learned in the first week of dosing is that there are no significant signs of safety and that the product does not appear to cause many of the unexpected side effects.”

“There are anecdotal reports of improved oxygenation and other patient improvements. These are certainly encouraging, but need to be rigorously evaluated.”

He said the therapy was “rough and ready.”

“There’s a lot we don’t understand about plasma. We will learn more about what is in plasma, its constituents, antibody levels, and other factors that may be present over the course of a few weeks. .

“But sometimes, as a doctor, when you have a shot, you just have to try to take a shot at the goal.”

How did this approach help in your previous pandemic?

Utilizing the recovered patient’s blood is not a new idea in medicine. It was used more than 100 years ago when the Spanish flu epidemic occurred, and more recently it has been used for Ebola and monkey disease.

So far, only a small study has examined its effectiveness, and there are many studies that need to be done to confirm its effect on coronaviruses.

But in the United States, they say there isn’t a shortage of people who want to help.

Bruce Sachet, Chief Medical Officer at the New York Blood Center, said: “People were amazing.

“We have hundreds of donors, and we have already been able to collect more than 1,000 units. For those who have been infected to varying degrees, their main concern is now to Can you help me? “

Scientists say plasma may not be a magic bullet.

However, our options for treating coronaviruses are very limited, and we hope it helps until a vaccine is found.

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