LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — It's a century-old treatment. The idea of using someone else's blood to treat another sick person dates back to the Spanish Flu of 1918. Now, it's being used to help COVID-19 patients.
For the first time, Arkansas patients infected with COVID-19 have the option of a plasma transfusion to help combat the virus.
“What we are trying to do is take successes," said Dr. John Armitage, C.E.O. of the Arkansas Blood Institute. "Folks who have been able to fight off the virus and develop their own immunity. They can then share some of those antibodies with a patient who is struggling."
Through convalescent plasma donations, survivors can give their blood with the newly formed COVID-19 antibodies. Then, that donation will be given to a patient currently fighting the virus in the form of a blood transfusion.
The hope is the antibodies from the plasma donors will help the patients recover more quickly and give them a better survival rate.
"I like to think that the antibodies we are giving are little programmable missiles, targeted missiles," said Dr. Armitage. "You borrow some from somebody else, and those missiles go in and target the evil virus and eliminate it."
This treatment is only available for people with severe symptoms. It's being done on patients who are hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit and possibly on a ventilator.
"We do need to ensure that any therapy that can help save a life is available to our patients here in Arkansas," said Tina Ipe, UAMS Transfusion Medicine Services Director.