HOUSTON (May 14, 2020) — In partnership with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Harris Health System is encouraging patients and staff who’ve recovered from COVID-19 disease to consider donating their COVID-19 convalescent plasma. The program will work with clinicians to enable rapid access to an experimental plasma treatment for the most seriously ill patients. Because this is still an investigational new drug program, requesting and receiving convalescent plasma occurs outside the routine product ordering processes.
“Though still experimental, these donations make this potentially disease-modifying therapy more accessible to treating physicians and COVID-19 patients throughout the greater-Houston area,” says Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, CEO, Harris Health System. “As we continue to see severe cases of COVID-19 disease, being able to provide a plasma treatment option to patients in need is a tremendous step forward.”
Recovered patients can contact Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center to arrange a donation.
“While plasma donations are routinely collected for other purposes, donors of COVID-19 convalescent plasma need to meet specific criteria to ensure safety of the donor and staff,” says Brian Gannon, CEO, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.
To be eligible to participate, the individual must:
- Have had a prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by a laboratory test, and be eligible to donate blood.
Also, the donor must either:
- Have fully recovered from COVID-19, with complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days, with a second, negative test or
- Have fully recovered from COVID-19, with complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days before donation. No second test is required in this case.
To determine whether you meet the requirements, go to the Blood Center’s COVID-19 Plasma Donor Questionnaire online (http://www.giveblood.org/covid-19-questionnaire/) to provide answers to screening questions. Those who complete the form will be contacted by a Donor Advocate with further instructions for potential plasma donation.
To get started, potential donors should complete the Blood Center’s online questionnaire or contact The Blood Center by phone at 713-791-6608 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Select the following for a printable information brochure (English / Español).