El Paso doctor urges plasma donations after FDA authorizes emergency use
EL PASO, Texas -- An El Paso doctor continues to issue a plea to those who've recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma to patients currently fighting the potentially deadly virus.
This comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma on Sunday.
The EUA allows the plasma to be used on a much wider basis, as opposed to only being prescribed by doctors taking part in the study by the Mayo Clinic.
Some medical experts have said the data showing the effectiveness of the treatment is not strong enough, speaking out before and after the emergency use authorization was issued by the FDA.
NPR reported that the chief of the FDA tweeted an apology after claiming plasma could save 35 of the 100 people who receive the treatment, altering his statement to say this instead a "relative risk reduction" of death for those who receive plasma.
Dr. Joel Hendryx, the chief medical officer at University Medical Center of El Paso, said the EUA will benefit patients.
"Just like with everything in this virus, we're in the process of trying to understand the virus and what is working for these patients," he said.
Several doctors at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center of El Paso are taking part in the Mayo Clinic study, which is why patients at University Medical Center are among the 70,000 patients nationwide who've received it.
"We are in that process of determining is (plasma) a good thing or not? We think it is," Hendryx said. "We think the studies that have been looked at show a benefit -- not in all cases. But there are individuals that have a benefit and that by doing this, you may be helping save a life."
Hendryx echoed the preliminary research cited by Mayo Clinic that the plasma treatments seem to work best in patients under the age of 80.
"We're doing everything we can to find a treatment, a cure, things that will help us get through this virus," he added. "And we think this is an important step to be able to treat some of these individuals. It takes somebody to donate. It takes someone giving their plasma to help someone else."
The donation process is volunteer-based and takes about one hour to one and a half hours. Those who are eligible and interested in helping should call (833) 582-1971.
