PUBLICATIONS AND PresentationS

On October 14 2020 took place an online roundtable event “Ensuring Appropriate Patient Access to Plasma-Derived Medicinal Products [PDMPs] — Before, During and After COVID-19, Challenges and Solutions”, organized and co-hosted by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Manuel Pizarro, (S&D, Portugal) and MEP Helmut Geuking (ECR, Germany), and moderated by Brian Maguire, an independent journalist and producer at EBX Media.

The treatment of COVID-19 patients, especially in severe conditions, presents a challenge to medical professionals. Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is a potential and promising therapeutic option, and efforts are underway at different levels to encourage convalescent plasma donations [1, 2].

PDMPs constitute several classes of biologic therapies, i.e. clotting factors, immunoglobulins (IgGs, including hyperimmune globulins), alpha-1 proteinase inhibitors, albumin and C1-esterase inhibitors. PDMPs share a unique nature: they are derived from human biologic material (plasma) and have a highly complex and regulated manufacturing process.

Whole blood and red blood cell (RBC) donors are at risk of iron deficiency. Since Source plasma (SP) donors have RBCs returned during apheresis, risk of iron depletion appears low. However, SP donors can donate frequently and assessment of frequent donor iron status is needed.