20. COVID-19: Does Convalescent Plasma Work?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Convalescent plasma has been a hot button news story over the past few weeks since the FDA approved its use in COVID patients. In this episode, hematologist <strong>Tom DeLoughery</strong> (<a href= "https://twitter.com/Bloodman">@Bloodman</a>) breaks down what it is, what it purportedly does, the evidence (or lack thereof) supporting its use, at what point in disease it might work, and potential dangers of indiscriminate use. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This episode is brought to you by <strong><a href= "https://marmed.com/stimulus/">Mar-Med</a></strong>, makers of the industry leading and #1 selling Tourni-Cot digital tourniquet. What you may not know is that <strong><a href= "https://marmed.com/stimulus/">Mar-Med</a></strong> also  makes a newly reengineered balloon extractor for nasal foreign bodies, a one size fits all Uni-Cot digital tourniquet, and the Derma-Stent drain that greatly simplifies loop abscess procedures. I’ve used Mar-Med’s products hundreds of times and can attest to their efficacy and simplicity of use.</span> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">You can check out all of their products and get free samples of whatever you’d like to try at</span> <strong><a href= "https://marmed.com/stimulus/">marmed.com/stimulus</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Who doesn’t love free samples, especially when it’s awesome stuff? </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;">We Discuss</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">What is convalescent plasma (CP)?</span> [04:06];</li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">How plasmapheresis can collect large volumes of donor plasma [4:53];</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">If donating plasma (and losing antibodies) can make one more susceptible to infection [5:32];</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">The potential folly of using CP in only the sickest patients and why it might be better used at the beginning of illness [06:25];</span></li> <li><span s