Local Doctors Weigh In On FDA Authorizing Convalescent Plasma As Emergency Treatment for COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized convalescent plasma as an emergency treatment for COVID-19.

Though it was just authorized, metro hospitals have been using the therapy for sick patients since April.

"We had been using it though an expanded access program under the guidance of the Mayo clinic so we have been using it for quite a while,” said Jim Kirk, an infectious disease specialist with SSM Health St. Anthony.

But doctors said it is hard to assess the effectiveness because there isn’t enough data or studies out there. But, in some cases when they gave a sick patient the therapy, they believed it made a difference.

"The impression we have is that it is more effective if used early in the course of illness,” said Kirk. “We aren't using it just on someone that gets a positive test, we are using it on sick people, but we think if we wait until late in the illness like two weeks when people are very ill it isn't effective at that time."

To be able to give convalescent plasma in this case you have to have a prior diagnosis of COVID-19, be symptom free for 14 days before donating and be eligible to give blood.