Operation Warp Speed credited with the accelerated timeline.
President Trump announced during a press conference Sunday evening that the FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for convalescent blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat people newly diagnosed.
He was joined at the press conference by FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. Both men credited Operation Warp Speed for moving up the timeline to treat COVID-19 patients with new drugs and therapies.
The new treatment authorization is part of an overall effort that is “marshaling the full power and authority of the federal government” to help fight the pandemic, the president said. He cited multiple studies and medical experts in saying that the plasma treatment has been shown to lower the mortality rate of people who are sickened with the virus.
Although it was not a formal study, the Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For physicians and others who will now be able to use the plasma as a treatment for COVID-19 infected patients.
- For the president and White House Coronavirus Task Force as they continue to make decisions in order to address the ongoing outbreak.
- For the leaders of the FDA as they work to fast track vaccine developments while still ensuring the safety of new medical procedures.
Sources: C-SPAN, Washington Examiner
