President expected to announce FDA OK of blood plasma treatment for COVID

Ears perked up late last night after White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany took to Twitter to announce a presidential news conference this evening concerning a “major therapeutic breakthrough” for COVID-19.

STAT News reports the president will announce imminent FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of blood plasma from patients who have recovered from the virus as treatment for the disease.

Whether that amounts to a “major breakthrough” or not is up for argument. A NIH/Mayo Clinic study of blood plasma found a small, but statistically significant impact on cutting mortality in COVID-19 patients. The NIH last week, however, urged the FDA to halt a move for a EUA until randomized, controlled trials could be conducted.

It’s not known at this point whether the president, or FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, or HHS Secretary Alex Azar (all of whom will be at the news conference) will have new data to talk about.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3608038-president-expected-to-announce-fda-authorization-of-blood-plasma-treatment-for-covidminus-19