As some data suggests, transfusion of convalescent plasma seems very promising as an immediately available experimental therapy for COVID-19 with low risk, especially while effective medicinal products or vaccines are still under development and testing. As part of its measures to fight the current pandemic, the Commission released on 8 April a guidance document on the collection and transfusion of convalescent COVID-19 plasma. The Commission states that transfusion of convalescent plasma, as an immediately available experimental therapy with low risk, should be considered as an urgent priority. The Commission has launched the EU CCP (Convalescent COVID-19 Plasma) Databased to enable a coordinated approach for the collection of convalescent plasma across the EU. This supports the treatment of acutely ill patients and the development of immune globulin concentrates by industry. It focuses on authorising the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of convalescent plasma, donor eligibility, collection, processing and storage, testing of donated plasma, distribution of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, data reporting and aggregation at the EU level, and access to EU data on convalescent plasma.
Although not legally binding, this guidance of the Commission might be a valuable resource to support the disease treatment within randomised or case-control clinical trials or observational studies of plasma transfusion and in the development of a plasma-derived medicinal products. By providing a complete EU programme of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, the Commission demonstrates its willingness to tap into the potential benefits brought by the transfusion of plasma from recovered patients in boosting COVID-19 immunity.
You can find the guidance document here on the Commission website. You can also access the EU CCP Database here on the Commission's website.
European Commission’s guidance on convalescent COVID-19 plasma
