Coronavirus (Covid-19) antibody testing has exploded in the New York area and across the nation. With that new testing, people are getting new opportunities to donate plasma for Covid-19 patients, or to take part in other studies.
Here are some resources:
Guidelines from the FDA on such studies
Recommendations to health care providers and investigators
Avenues for plasma donation, mostly in the New York area
Potential donors:
1) Direct recruitment: Several healthcare systems are running their own studies and collecting their own donor pools.
i. Mt Sinai Medical Center
ii. Albany Medical Center: Did have a program, but apparently now is sending people to the Red Cross
iii. Upstate Medical University – Syracuse
iv. Stony Brook University
v. Columbia University
vi. New York Presbyterian (168th St. on the Upper West Side) and Weill-Cornell (East side, E. 71st St.) are partnering.
vii. SUNY Downstate (in Flatbush in Brooklyn) is also supposedly collecting plasma – form here and send questions to CPTrial@Downstate.edu .
viii. Montefiore in the Bronx was accepting, but apparently is no longer accepting: they refer people to NY Blood Center.
ix. The Feinstein institutes for medical research with Northwell Health is apparently doing convalescent plasma studies
2) Public donation: Individuals can also call a local Red Cross and NY Blood Center location and offer to donate.
a. American Red Cross: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/dlp/plasmadonations-from-recovered-covid-19-patients.html
b. NY Blood Center: https://www.nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/covid-19-andblood-donation-copy/
Mayo Clinic coordinates plasma program
“Mayo Clinic is the coordinating center for the Extended Access Plasma program, founded by the FDA and supported by BARDA, part of US Health and Human Services. Collection of blood/plasma occurs at a wide range of the nation’s blood bank organizations as well as at participating hospitals. There is no reportable data at this point, though eventually study findings will be amassed and shared, probably by the FDA. Detailed information can be had at the program’s website at www.covidplasma.org
“Over 2000 sites are now participating and many of them are producing their own news releases to raise awareness and encourage others who have had COVID-19 and recovered to become donors.”
Birmingham-Pittsburgh collaboration: SARS-COV2 Pandemic Serosurvey and Blood Sampling study
“Thank you for your interest in the SARS-COV2 Pandemic Serosurvey and Blood Sampling study conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Pittsburgh. The results of this study will help identify the extent to which the coronavirus has spread undetected in the United States and provide insights into which communities and populations are most affected.
“To determine if you are eligible to participate in the study we need to get some additional information. Please visit https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1YBR04TWOdolITH?Q_DL=twEudeSrNKxa8os_1YBR04TWOdolITH_MLRP_3adHFiBDwBxJT6d&Q_CHL=gl to take a brief 10 question survey. This should take no more than 5 minutes to complete. As a reminder, only people who have not had a positive COVID test and/or known infection are eligible for the study.
“Again, we are very grateful for your willingness to help with this program. We are encouraged by the number of individuals who have stepped forward. We will review the survey information that you provided and be back in touch.”
Opportunities in your area
If you’re looking for opportunities in your area, try the local blood center or connect with others who have tested positive. Many academic medical centers have trials going on.
Clinical trials
For a catalog of clinical trials contemplated or under way, go to clinicaltrials.gov. Note you’ll need to search on both coronavirus and Covid to get full results.
