Potential COVID-19 treatments emerge

[KSTP TV, August 20, 2020] The New York Times reported Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided to put an emergency authorization for blood plasma as a COVID-19 treatment "on hold." They said top federal health officials argued "emerging data on the treatment was too weak."

About 70,000 COVID-19 patients across the country have received plasma under the expanded access program. Studies have shown plasma is a safe treatment but its effectiveness is still under review.

"In the real world, we have to make the best judgment we can with the best information we got," said Dr. Frank Rhame, an Allina Health physician at Abbott Northwestern. "As we get better studies, sometimes things change."

Rhame treats critical COVID-19 patients. He said, for patients who need to be on oxygen, they typically use a combination of plasma, dexamethasone and remdesivir.