Expert urges action on plasma
The NHS is facing calls to speed up plans to treat victims of coronavirus using the blood of recovered patients.
Colin Hamilton-Davies, a critical care consultant who has led research on the use of plasma from “hyper-immune” patients, said the NHS should be urgently stockpiling supplies of the substance so the treatment can be introduced more quickly.
It would be “negligent” not to be ready to carry out transfusions within the next “few weeks”, he added.
The Sunday Telegraph disclosed last week that the NHS was drawing up plans to start giving patients plasma from blood donations given by those who have recovered from coronavirus.
The approach, used in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, relies on the fact that the blood of patients who have recovered contains fight the virus.
But while a similar treatment began in the US last weekend, the NHS has yet to confirm when the first British patients will receive transfusions.
The delay comes as the Government races to carry out large-scale antibody testing – to see if someone has been infected and recovered – when clinicians are confident they have a valid test. Dr Hamilton-Davies, of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London, said: “A system of harvesting plasma, testing, storing, distribution and guidance on treatment administration needs urgent consideration, development and rollout in order to save lives.”
A spokesman for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We have well-established plans for dealing with new diseases, including the potential collection of convalescent plasma … We are working closely with Government and other NHS bodies.”