Ventura County leading the way in plasma therapy efforts

VENTURA, Calif. - Ventura County has successfully completed its first plasma donation from a recovered COVID-19 patient to help an infected patient.

Ventura County is hoping to push forward with plasma therapy to help in the recovery process from the virus.

In a time when so many are waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, convalescent plasma treatment could be the answer for now.

“It looks like it is going to be life-saving,” said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County Public Health Officer. “We are in support of that effort and we are hoping it spreads and is successful.”

Vitalant is the nation's largest independent blood service provider. The organization's Ventura County offices partnered with St. John’s hospitals launching a pilot program collecting blood plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patient.

“Instead of you receiving a vaccine and allowing your body to produce the antibody, I am taking the antibody that has already been produced in another person's body and simply transferring that into your body,” said Dr. Marissa Li, the Medical Director for Vitalant. “This is called passive immunization.”

The first donation was collected on Wednesday from Dwight Everett, a Camarillo man who recovered from the coronavirus.

“He was diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March,” said Dr. Li. “He had a positive COVID-19 test, and by the time he donated blood from us he was completely asymptomatic for at least 14 days. So those are the three minimum criteria that we need."

This process has been done in China on several patients and the results are promising. All of them have survived and more than half of them were able to get off ventilators. Experts say one donation can help several people.

“Mr. Everett was actually able to donate 1,000 milliliters which is the max that we can collect from anyone,” said Dr. Li. “The minimum it could help 2-3 patients, and maximum it could help 5 patients from one donation.”

The plasma therapy progress isn't FDA approved yet.

“But they do recognize that there is a possibility and the potential to help save patients lives right now at this time and hospital can actually apply for what is called investigational new drug application through the FDA in order to transfuse this product,” said Dr. Li.

Ventura County is the first in the Vitalant system to successfully complete the treatment, but other areas are catching on.

“It is already spreading like wildfire,” said Dr. Li.

For information and to schedule a donation you can visit Vitalant's website or call 1-866-287-5762