CBCO Partners With NWA Hospitals
Promising blood product may help with severe covid-19 cases
Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, the sole supplier of blood and plasma to patients at more than 40 area hospitals, is working with its partner hospitals to identify candidates for the donation of covid-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). Those donations have already taken place in Missouri and will begin this week in Arkansas.
Covid-19 convalescent plasma involves collecting blood plasma from someone who has recovered from covid-19. It is then transfused into someone infected with the virus in the hope that antibodies from the recovered individual can help the person who is sick. The theory is that those antibodies can neutralize the virus or cause an immune response. Scientists and physicians around the world are racing to find new treatments for the virus, and CCP transfusions offer great promise.
“The utilization of plasma donated from individuals who have recovered from covid-19 is viewed as the current best option to treat victims of this virus who are experiencing life-threatening complications,” Larry Shackelford, president and CEO of Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville said.
The potential healing power of convalescent plasma transfusions was recently illustrated in northwest Arkansas where a seriously ill woman recovered and was released after receiving a transfusion of convalescent plasma from CBCO.
“This is truly a life-saving therapy,” said Stephen Hennigan, MD, Northwest Arkansas Infectious Disease Specialist. “It is critical that we have donors to make it readily available in a timely way for all patients that need it.”
Area hospitals are currently working to identify qualified donors that have already had and subsequently recovered from covid-19. Those qualified donors will be directly referred to CBCO to arrange a donation. To be eligible to donate CCP, donors must meet all regular blood donation requirements.
“We have been working with our area hospital partners and have gotten this program off the ground very quickly,” CBCO executive director Anthony Roberts said. “The fact that we are a locally based organization providing all of the blood for area patients means that we can react rapidly when opportunities like this are presented. Convalescent plasma shows great promise as a treatment option and we are pleased to be providing this product for the benefit of local patients.”
If you have had covid-19, have a documented positive lab test and are 28 days symptom-free, you may be eligible to participate in the CCP program. Potential CCP donors are asked to contact their local physician to see if they are eligible. Also, please note that blood donors must meet eligibility guidelines in order to participate.
On behalf of local hospital patients, CBCO thanks blood donors from across the region for giving life to your community.
“The utilization of plasma donated from individuals who have recovered from covid-19 is viewed as the current best option to treat victims of this virus who are experiencing life-threatening complications.” Larry Shackelford President and CEO of Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville