Blood Plasma Therapy Doesn't Help Seriously Ill COVID-19 Patients: Study

Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood from people who have recovered from an illness to help others recover.

Convalescent plasma does not reduce the risk of intubation or death in COVID-19 patients, according to a study which found that people receiving the therapy experienced more serious adverse events than those getting standard care. Intubation is a procedure where a tube is inserted into the windpipe to make it easier to breath. The research, published in the journal Nature Medicine, also found that the antibody profile in the blood of people who have had the virus is extremely variable and this may modify the response to the treatment. Convalescent plasma therapy uses blood from people who have recovered from an illness to help others recover.