Treatment for Coronavirus Begins in Turkey! A therapy using the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients will be initiated. As countries worldwide continue to fight the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey has decided to try this approach for the first time domestically: plasma from recovered patients will be used to treat critical cases. Research into many COVID-19 treatments is ongoing, including vaccines and therapeutic options. As a result of recent decisions, the use of plasma from recovered patients has come to the forefront. The Ministry of Health and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) have mobilized, and universities have also offered support. The treatment will begin with the most critical patients.
The treatment, coordinated by the Ministry of Health together with the Turkish Red Crescent and supported by universities, will use plasma collected from recovered COVID-19 patients. Plasma rich in antibodies will be transfused into patients in critical condition. This passive antibody therapy, considered a potential solution for severely ill patients, will be implemented in Turkey.
The program will be launched under the coordination of the Ministry of Health with leadership from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine and contributions from other universities. In the near future, plasma collected from individuals who had COVID-19 and subsequently tested negative will be used in treatment. Volunteers who have fully recovered and tested negative will donate blood; plasma containing high levels of antibodies against the virus will be separated and transferred to patients whose conditions are severe.
Plasma Therapy Could Be Used in a Second Wave
Plasma therapy could also be useful during a second wave of infections. If more plasma is collected than immediately needed, experts note it can be stored properly and used later if circumstances require. Specialists also explain that plasma can be processed by companies that produce pharmaceutical and blood products: through concentration and further processing, the collected plasma could potentially be turned into standardized, ready-to-use commercial preparations.