Convalescent plasma has been a hot button news story over the past few weeks since the FDA approved its use in COVID patients. In this episode, hematologist Tom DeLoughery (@Bloodman) breaks down what it is, what it purportedly does, the evidence (or lack thereof) supporting its use, at what point in disease it might work, and potential dangers of indiscriminate use. 

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We Discuss

• What is convalescent plasma (CP)? [04:06];
• How plasmapheresis can collect large volumes of donor plasma [4:53];
• If donating plasma (and losing antibodies) can make one more susceptible to infection [5:32];
• The potential folly of using CP in only the sickest patients and why it might be better used at the beginning of illness [06:25];
• How much immunity a single unit of plasma might provide [10:51];
• Adverse consequences of plasma use [12:00];
• Does CP actually work? [14:16];
• Would Tom want CP if he got COVID? [21:35];
• What we’ve learned from the massive effort to accelerate CP collection [23:02];
• And More.

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