The rise and dramatic fall of COVID-19 convalescent plasma therapy
Early in the pandemic, scientists thought convalescent plasma might be a way to treat COVID-19.
By giving patients the plasma of people who had recovered from COVID-19, the idea was this antibody-rich infusion would help their immune systems fight infection.
The strategy was tried, with various degrees of success, for other infectious diseases, including Ebola.
But growing evidence, including an international study published last week in JAMA , shows convalescent plasma does not save lives of people critically ill with COVID-19.
