If you’re early on in a COVID infection, is convalescent plasma for you? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Antibodies donated by people who’ve recovered from COVID infection, known as convalescent plasma, is a therapy that does have emergency use authorization by the FDA, and that must be given to hospitalized people early in the course of infection. Arturo Casadevall, a convalescent plasma expert at Johns Hopkins, says timing is critical.

Casadevall: It is important to know that there is a therapy that the FDA has on its emergency use authorization that has been underused. Patients it would great if they had a discussion with their physician. And it would be great if the physicians who admitted them to the hospital took the time to familiarize themselves as to what the available data is. It is mixed, we are the first ones to admit it. But that has to be taken in the view that it is relatively safe, the evidence is that if it is used early that is where the studies are showing the efficacy in reducing mortality. :33

Casadevall says people who are admitted to the hospital should ask their physicians if they are candidates for this therapy, which he says helps many avoid severe COVID. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.