Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 25) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday reported positive developments in the use of convalescent blood plasma to treat COVID-19 patients.
Of the 526 COVID-19 patients who have been given blood plasma in 17 different hospitals, 429 have recovered so far.
However, FDA Director General Eric Domingo said more studies are needed.
“Medyo maganda naman, but of course the scientific analysis of the studies will have to be done kasi siyempre iba-iba ang status ng pasyente, protocol hindi pare-pareho,” he said in a media forum.
[Translation: It looks promising, but of course the scientific analysis of the studies will have to be done because the status of the patients vary, protocols are not the same.]
He added that the government-funded study on convalescent blood plasma conducted by the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital will be more structured to get more detailed results on its efficacy.
Convalescent plasma is taken from the blood of individuals who have recovered from the coronavirus disease. It is being used as an adjunctive therapy for those who are currently infected by the illness.
