Stony Brook seeks volunteers to donate plasma to help hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Stony Brook Medicine has announced it is conducting a research study to determine if blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 can help treat hospitalized patients with active COVID-19 infection.

Stony Brook says it is seeking coronavirus survivors to donate blood plasma and researchers are collecting the convalescent serum to use in an experimental treatment strategy in those battling the disease.

The clinical trial is expected to enroll up to 500 patients on Long Island.

Plasma, the liquid portion of the blood, which helps with clotting and supporting immunity, contains antibodies that can potentially be used to kill the virus.

On April 2, Stony Brook University Hospital received FDA approval to offer the treatment to its patients through a randomized, controlled study.

Originally published at http://longisland.news12.com on April 10, 2020.