BUFFALO, N.Y. — Several Western New York hospitals are now treating Covid-19 patients with plasma, donated by those who have recovered from the virus.
Doctors at the University at Buffalo and Catholic Health say that within the last week, current coronavirus patients have started to get plasma treatment.
Experts say there are antibodies in the plasma that can help them recover.
UB, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park and Erie County Medical Center are all in the process of getting people who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their plasma.
Catholic Health is also treating coronavirus patients with plasma.
So far, UB says it's heard from more than 300 people who have shown interest in donating.
This type of therapy is experimental, so it's not 100 percent proven, but it has worked for some.
"The turnaround is going to be slow, I'll be surprised if it's going to be dramatic so you give the plasma you give the antibodies they deal with the virus, but already there's all this inflammation and injury of the lungs and that takes time to heal," said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, a professor at UB.
In order to be eligible to donate, not only do you have to of recovered from the virus, you also have to be at least 17 years old and symptom-free. UB is looking for people who have tested positive through a nasal swab.
According to doctors, there are some supply chain issues with actually getting plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients.
At UB, doctors tell us that some of these supply chain issues have to do with the fact that recovered coronavirus patients have to be fully recovered and symptom-free. It also takes a couple days to check the plasma, and UB says it can only accept plasma from six people a day, again resulting in lag time.
"We knew there was going to be this lag we were actually completely aware of it but I think we will be dealing the a lag by next week," Sethi said.
Doctors at Catholic Health says the Red Cross has not really supplied any plasma yet and Catholic Health has had to purchase plasma from the New York Blood Center.
Catholic health says it has had some people donate specifically for their healthcare system.
The Red Cross responds to supply chain issues, saying plasma donors have to meet additional requirements than average blood donations.
For example they have to be at least 17 years old and a verified diagnosis of coronavirus. The Red Cross issued an updated statement Thursday.
RELATED: Gov. Cuomo: WNY is on the plateau; elective surgeries to begin in some counties, not Erie County