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Munson Healthcare begins plasma transfusion trials for treating COVID-19

Victor Engmark

Munson Healthcare is beginning trials for a coronavirus cure using plasma from recovered patients.

The Hospital system said it is looking for recovered candidates willing to donate their plasma so it can be used on severely sick coronavirus patients.

Joe Santangelo is with Munson Healthcare. He said the theory is that antibodies in a recovered patient's blood will help those struggling with the virus. Early trials have suggested the treatment may work.

“We’re not sure yet how well it works which is why we’re doing all of these trials. But we also don’t want to wait too long to do all these trials because this is a problem right now.”

Santangelo said Munson Healthcare, one of Michigan’s blood suppliers, and the Grand Traverse Health Department are working to identify possible plasma donors.

“We haven’t gotten all the way through that process yet. We haven’t given plasma to a patient yet. We’re still at the point where we are identifying people and our blood bank supplier is working with folks and making sure they are good candidates to donate that plasma and collect it.”

Santangelo said there are some risks associated with plasma transfusions but there is no evidence of COVID-19 spreading through blood transfusions.

He said using plasma on a sick patient should happen within the next few weeks.