KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Local hospitals, including UT Medical Center, Tennova hospitals North Knoxville Medical Center and Turkey Creek Medical Center, and the nine hospitals that Covenant Health operates in East Tennessee, are participating in a trial to treat COVID-19 patients with plasma donated by someone who has recovered from the illness.
The trial is being conducted by the Mayo Clinic. There are 2,000 sites and 5,000 physicians participating in the trial, all in an effort to improve the treatment of COVID-19.
The team at UTMC said they recently treated their first patient under the new testing protocol.
A spokesperson for Covenant Health said doctors treated their first patient with plasma under the protocol this week but had used plasma even before that at Cumberland Medical Center.
People who have recovered from the disease have antibodies to the disease in their blood called convalescent plasma. The intention of the study is to see if the donated plasma can be given to people with severe cases of COVID-19 to help them in their fight against the disease.
“We are excited to be a part of this protocol that enables us to provide potentially lifesaving therapy to patients suffering from an infection with limited treatment options,” said Dr. Mark Rasnake, hospital epidemiologist and an infectious disease physician at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.
According to Tennova's CMO Dr. Frank Beuerlein, there is currently no available treatment of COVID-19. The transfusion of convalescence plasma to COVID-19 patients is the only viable possible treatment available as of now.
"We are honored and proud to be part of the study to help find a safe, efficient treatment during this pandemic," Dr. Beuerlein said.
The trial is called Expanded Access to Convalescent Plasma for the Treatment of Patients with COVID-19. More information about the trial, including how to donate plasma, can be found on the Mayo Clinic website.
MEDIC Regional Blood Center in Knoxville accepts donations of COVID Convalescent Plasma from those with a confirmed COVID-19 lab test.