INDIANAPOLIS — On Sunday, the Food and Drug Administration granted an "Emergency Use Authorization" for convalescent plasma.
The treatment separates plasma from the blood of someone who has recovered from COVID-19. That blood gets pumped back into the donor's body, and the plasma can be used on a patient who has COVID-19.
Dr. Nicolas Barros, the medical director of transplant and infectious diseases at IU Health, says the treatment is one of many being studied.
"In terms of the mortality rate, it's difficult to know which one of the interventions that we're doing is actually giving the major advantage to the patient, and it's perhaps even a combination of them that's giving an advantage," Dr. Barros said. "So, it's really difficult to pinpoint which one is giving this impact."
At least one central Indiana patient credits convalescent plasma with helping save his life. Dave Falkenburg spent a month in the hospital, and at one point was in a coma. He's grateful the doctors gave him the plasma treatment option.
"It was the treatment that got me over this. It brought me back to where I would feel better, and my body could overcome this," Falkenburg said. "What I want people at home to know that it is so important that we all get involved."
"If you can be a donor, I would highly recommend that," Falkenburg continued. "There is nothing better than helping somebody else out. It always comes back to help you out."
The FDA says approval is not the same as authorization, and this is not a cure. The goal is to gather more information and more plasma. Health officials say there's still a lot of data to collect on the treatment, including putting it through randomized, controlled clinical trials.
