https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/FDA-fast-tracking-makes-Houston-Methodist-first-15165329.php?utm_campaign=sftwitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=twitter.com

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Houston Methodist Hospital doctors were all ready to go, but even they were a bit surprised late Saturday afternoon when word came down from the Food and Drug Administration.

They could transfuse the blood from a former COVID-19 patient into one severely ill at the moment.

The Methodist team sprang into action, using just-donated blood from a Houston-area individual whose symptoms had gone away weeks ago but whose antibodies to the coronavirus were now at optimal levels. By Saturday night, the blood was coursing through not just one but two COVID-19 patients in intensive care at Methodist

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Great to hear

What is the timeline to know if it works?

Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

We have got to get the fda/government out of the way when trying to save peoples lives.

Let the dam patient decide what he or she wants!

Then get the lawyers out the way too

DadHammer said:

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We have got to get the fda/government out of the way when trying to save peoples lives.

Let the dam patient decide what he or she wants!

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With how quickly things are getting approved it would appear that the FDA is pretty much getting out of the way.

I've been wondering if they could find volunteers who've never had the flu, and ideally who had never gotten a flu shot, to take their antibodies. There may be some people out there who just have natural immunity. I've never had the flu, but about 10 years ago I started getting shots anyway.

In terms of fda approvals these are being fast tracked like crazy. It truly is amazing what can be done when it has to be.

We started drawing recovered COVID donors on Saturday in DFW area and we are working towards starting in east Texas this week.

There are some hurdles that the hospitals have to take care of, as well as some for the blood bank. Fast tracking the infectious disease testing with the testing lab is one. But the labs are being very cooperative and moving these tests to front of the line.

Also- the recruitment of the donors is another. The blood bank doesn't have access to who has recovered, HIPAA. So working with the hospitals and medical teams for them to recruit the donors and then setting up a collection site that is separate from regular allogeneic collections is important too. Mainly to ensure that regular donors don't feel concerned being around someone who has recovered. It's safe but to just help ease public fears/perceptions, it is an easy step.

DadHammer said:

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We have got to get the fda/government out of the way when trying to save peoples lives.

Let the dam patient decide what he or she wants!

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This is like the Right to Try Act. It was something desperately needed for people with terminal diseases like ALS or cancer.

Curious how long before they expect results. Also if anyone hears if there's success or not,post!