LMH Health partnership with Mayo Clinic offers treatment for COVID-19 patients
LMH Health is partnering with the Mayo Clinic to offer an experimental convalescent plasma therapy treatment to some patients with severe COVID-19 through the National Convalescent Plasma Expanded Access Protocol (EAP). Patients who recover from COVID-19 have antibodies — proteins the body uses to fight off infections — to the disease in their blood. The blood from people who've recovered is called convalescent plasma.
According to Mayo, researchers hope that convalescent plasma can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus—especially when other treatments aren’t effective. It also might help keep people who are moderately ill from becoming more ill and experiencing COVID-19 complications.
Only hospitalized patients referred by their health care provider can participate in this protocol. When a physician at LMH Health chooses to enroll a COVID-19 inpatient into this program, they are matched with plasma stores through a robust online database.
Researchers at Mayo say convalescent plasma has substances that could improve chances of recovery.
Dr. Krishna V. Rangarajan, a pulmonologist at LMH Health, said the hospital has already offered plasma treatments for inpatients with COVID-19 as part of this program.
“Convalescent plasma is a possible treatment option to help us against COVID-19 in appropriately selected patients,” said Dr. Rangarajan. “We are hopeful to see helpful responses, but we are awaiting more research to see if, or how well, it works.”
Note: The Food and Drug Administration approved an emergency use authorization (EUA) for emergency use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 on August 23, 2020.
