Saint Francis approved to use plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients

Saint Francis Healthcare System has been approved to use plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients for treatment with currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board approved such “convalescent” plasma use, according to a news release from Saint Francis.

“Convalescent plasma treatment, while experimental, has the potential to help seriously ill COVID patients,” said Dr. Thomas S. Diemer, chief medical officer at Saint Francis. “This approval allows another treatment option for our COVID-19 patients who require additional care.”

The plasma from a recovered patient contains antibodies that build up in a person’s immune system after exposure to a viral or bacterial infection. Using such plasma to treat an infected person could help the patient fight the infection.

Saint Francis is working with the local American Red Cross chapter to identify recovered patients who meet the plasma donation criteria. If you or anyone you know have recovered from COVID-19 and would be interested in potentially being a donor, visit www.RedCrossBlood.org/Plasma4COVID.

The announcement Monday comes on the heels of Southeast Hospital’s approval to perform rapid-result testing and serology testing, which will identify people who had the virus and have developed antibodies to fight it.