SPMC to use convalescent plasma therapy to treat serious COVID cases

DAVAO CITY – The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) will soon use the convalescent plasma therapy to treat serious coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, Dr. Ricardo Audan, chief of clinics and health emergency of SPMC said here on Thursday.

Audan said during a live press conference that the hospital is in the process of preparing for the convalescent plasma therapy, including the drafting of guidelines on the use of this treatment.

“The guidelines on the use of convalescent plasma are in process. They are working with our pathology (department) and laboratories. I think with convalescent plasma, this can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus,” he added.

In a data released by the Davao City Information Office, the COVID19 cases in Davao City reached 206 as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Of this total, 100 recovered and 25 died.

Dr. Deonne Gauiran, a hematologist at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), said the PGH is currently employing the convalescent plasma therapy under the guidance and in accordance with the strict protocols issued by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

He said the convalescent plasma therapy, a kind of treatment that needs the plasma, a liquid component collected from the blood of a patient who recovered from the infection, will be administered to COVID-19 positive patients.

Dr. Gauiran emphasized that although the therapy was already proven safe and effective against SARS, MERS-CoV, H1N1 and Ebola, there is no evidence yet to show that it is effective against SARSCoV2.

According to the US Food and Drugs Administration, convalescent plasma is the liquid part of blood that is collected from patients who have recovered from the COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2.

“COVID-19 patients develop antibodies in the blood against the virus. Antibodies are proteins that might help fight the infection. Convalescent plasma is being investigated for the treatment of COVID-19 because there is no approved treatment for this disease and there is some information that suggests it might help some patients recover from COVID-19,” it said.

The USFDA added that further investigation is still necessary to determine if the convalescent plasma is safe and effective “as a treatment for COVID-19, and whether it might shorten the duration of illness, reduce morbidity, or prevent death associated with COVID-19.”