A coalition of health and industry partners is looking at convalescent plasma as a potential treatment for the coronavirus, Mayo Clinic CEO Dr. Gianrico Farrugia told CNBC on Tuesday.
"Scientists and physicians around the world are racing to find new treatments for COVID-19," Farrugia said onThe Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that Mayo Clinic would be leading the initiative in testing the effectiveness of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients. The treatment has been around for more than 100 years and was used during the 1918 flu pandemic, Farrugia said.
Mayo Clinic's coalition, which counts the American Red Cross as a partner, now has more than 100 sites working on implementing convalescent plasma as a treatment for patients, Farrugia said.Mayo Clinic also released a serology test on Monday that uses a patient's blood to analyze antibodies and determine whether the patient has been exposed to the virus.
"We need to answer a question that has been posed many, many times: How many people in this country have been exposed, infected with COVID-19? The serology test allows us to answer that question," Farrugia said."If we do find that that exposure also gives you immunity, then we can also use it to determine who is now immune," he said.
If researchers learn that exposure to the virus provides immunity and figure out how long that immunity lasts, "you can start to target populations that can go safely back to work," Farrugia said.Farrugia said the serology test should not replace tests already on the market, including the molecular test, which looks for evidence of an active infection.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
No Test, Minimal Contact: How One Abortion Clinic Is Adapting to Coronavirus ConcernsIn late March, Leah Coplon, the program director at Maine Family Planning, watched as a young mother parked her car in front of the building....
Read more »
Watch Live: Trump Again Speaks In Favor Of Anti-Malaria Drug For CoronavirusThe drug has not been proven to be an effective treatment for coronavirus.
Read more »
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to Donate $1 Billion Of His Wealth to COVID-19 ReliefTwitter's CEO just one-upped every bigwig's coronavirus donation by A LOT.
Read more »
Coronavirus mortgage bailout: 'There is going to be complete chaos,' says industry CEOA broad coalition of mortgage and finance industry leaders sent a plea to federal regulators, asking for desperately needed cash to keep the mortgage system running. This, as requests from borrowers for the federal mortgage forbearance program are flooding in at an alarming rate.
Read more »
He recovered from the coronavirus and now his plasma donation could save the lives of othersA California man who was diagnosed with the coronavirus and recovered has donated his plasma to help others fighting the potentially deadly virus.
Read more »