Forum Topic

COVID-19 plasma donations

Picked this up from a FB friend ...https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/convalescent-plasma-clinical-trial/

Michael Ixer ● 2395d5 Comments

Hello Michael, Thank you for the post.  I have just read an article on PutneySW15 on this matter.  Fingers crossed that they manage to do something helpful with the plasma!  

Ivonne Holliday ● 2395d

Ivonne, thanks. I believe the process is still being evaluated to see if it helps patients (in the UK, US, possibly elsewhere) but I suppose the risks are low as blood transfusions are a well understood procedure. I picked this up from an ex-colleague who I believe is/was doing (I assume) some IT work at St George's but I suppose they're just spreading the message; suggested it might be worth putting something on the news page as well.

Michael Ixer ● 2394d

Sorry nothing to do with the Coronavirus but rather worried about people testing out to see if it works. Because people got paid to test the R/Arthritus  drug a few years ago and I think one died another one's head swelled and they ended up really ill. I hope they find some way of testing but as so little is know about the virus perhaps not to test on humans.

Barbara Stevens ● 2393d

Barbara, its not my field at all but my understanding is this is as safe as a normal blood transfusion. There seem to be two possible issues: firstly, it may just not be effective in all or some cases; secondly, if it works in a seriously I'll patient by fighting off the virus with the donor's antibiotics it may stop the patient developing their own antibodies meaning that after they've recovered they would be vulnerable to catching the disease again. That's different to clinical trials of a manufactured vaccine or medicine where there's always the possibility of the  human volunteers being harmed.https://discoverysedge.mayo.edu/2020/04/06/convalescent-plasma-a-therapy-for-covid-19/

Michael Ixer ● 2393d

Thank you Michael, well let's hope so.

Barbara Stevens ● 2393d