Partnership will help NYBC build public bank of antibody-rich plasma to treat as many patients as possible
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NEW YORK – New York Blood Center (NYBC) is partnering with Survivor Corps to recruit individuals recovering from COVID-19 to donate blood plasma to help treat other patients with advanced illness. In the treatment, known as convalescent plasma, the patient is transfused with the donor’s plasma with the goal of using the donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly and help decrease the need for ICU beds and ventilators.
NYBC is working to increase the nation’s supply of convalescent plasma in order to make it accessible to as many patients as possible. NYBC will collect, process the plasma for infusion, and maintain a bank for hospitals to treat patients with serious or immediately life-threatening COVID-19 infections.
Survivor Corps was founded by Diana Berrent to mobilize those who have recovered from COVID-19 so they can support those in need and participate in scientific research opportunities. The network includes more than 25,000 people from across the country. Diana donated convalescent plasma at NYBC on April 8th is encouraging other survivors to join her.
“Our region was hit early by this pandemic and has sadly suffered from the highest number of infections in the nation. That means we now have the largest pool of individuals recovering from COVID-19 who can become plasma donors and help those who are severely ill,” said Christopher D. Hillyer, MD, President and CEO, of New York Blood Center. “New York Blood Center is uniquely positioned to collect and maintain a robust public bank of convalescent plasma that can serve hospitals in our immediate area and throughout the country. We are asking all eligible donors to come forward so we can treat as many patients as possible.”
Donors must have tested positive for COVID-19 and be symptom-free for 14 days. One donation can be used to treat two to three patients struggling with severe cases of COVID-19. Interested donors in New York and New Jersey can sign up at www.nybc.org/covidplasma. Donors from outside of this region can visit www.ccpp19.org.
NYBC is one of the largest independent blood centers in the world. Its network serves local communities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and Rhode Island. NYBC anticipates collecting convalescent plasma collections across these locations and the pandemic intensifies in locations across the US.
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Survivor Corps: For more information follow us on Facebook (COVID19survivorcorps), Twitter (survivor_corps) and Instagram (survivorcorps).
About New York Blood Center: Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers in the world. NYBC, along with its operating divisions Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve local communities of more than 75 million people in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT), Mid Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD, VA), Missouri and Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England. NYBC and its operating divisions also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services to over 500 hospitals nationally, including Comprehensive Cell Solutions, the National Center for Blood Group Genomics, the National Cord Blood Program, and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, which — among other milestones — developed a practical screening method for hepatitis B as well as a safe, effective and affordable vaccine, and a patented solvent detergent plasma process innovating blood-purification technology worldwide.