Over the weekend, a glimmer of good news was released on the war against COVID-19 providing cautious hopefulness on treating hospitalized patients with coronavirus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for investigational convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients to provide another method of treatment as our nation continues its battle with this novel coronavirus.
President Trump made the optimistic announcement Sunday stating that the treatment will "save countless lives," just one day before the 2020 Republican National Convention is to begin Monday, August 24.
Plasma is the largest component of blood (55%) and contains immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies potentially saving the life of someone with COVID-19. IgG, the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation, works by blocking the spike protein of the virus preventing replication and invasion of the infection into bodily cells.
When infected with the virus, the body’s immune system produces antibodies to seek out and neutralize it. By collecting and using plasma from people (donating plasma is similar to donating blood) who have recovered from the virus, these antibodies in plasma can be given to seriously ill patients giving their immune system an extra boost to fight off the infection.
By giving hospitalized patients antibodies extracted from the blood of plasma donors who have successfully recovered from COVID-19, the hope is to boost their immune systems helping shorten the length and to reduce the severity of the infection.
This is not the first time convalescent plasma has been used to wage war with a viral epidemic or pandemic. More than 110 years ago, before the discovery of antibiotics, convalescent plasma was used to prevent and treat many bacterial and viral infections, including diphtheria, scarlet fever and pertussis.
Convalescent plasma was used during the 1918 Spanish flu with good results. In the past few years, it was also used with positive outcomes of reduction in mortality to treat the coronaviruses that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) as well as swine flu (H1N1).
More recently, hospitals around the nation have been testing convalescent plasma as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Back in April, researchers were already saying that convalescent plasma derived from the plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19 can be a potentially rich source of antibodies fighting off the infection.
The FDA is asking and encouraging individuals who have fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks to consider donating plasma helping potentially save lives of patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
Recovered individuals will be assessed if they are eligible to donate plasma by meeting certain qualifications such as being symptom free for at least 14 days prior to donating and provide documentation from a laboratory test stating they had a prior diagnosis of COVID-19.
Americans should be feeling more encouraged and confident that we are gaining ground and getting closer to finding one more treatment in our arsenal of other safe and effective treatments against COVID-19.
This could not have come at a better time with children heading back to school and with outbreaks continuing to occur.
Personally, I like to remain as optimistic as our president. As he aptly put it at this recent announcement, "Today’s action will dramatically expand access to this treatment."
And I would also add not only expand but also successfully treat and reduce COVID-19 deaths.
That will be the best news of all.
Dr. David Samadi is a contributor for Newsmax and the Director of Men's Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He's a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Visit Dr. Samadi's websites at robotic oncology and prostate cancer 911. Read Dr. David Samadi's Reports – More Here.
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