Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Recovered From COVID? Donate Blood For Plasma Treatment, Trump Urges
Politico: Trump Calls On Covid-19 Survivors To Donate Blood Plasma
President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Americans who have recovered from Covid-19 to donate their blood plasma to help stem the pandemic. "If you have had the virus, if you would donate, it would be a terrific thing," Trump said during a roundtable at the American Red Cross headquarters, flanked by his team of coronavirus experts — including NIH leaders Francis Collins and Anthony Fauci, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn and White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx. (Brennan, 7/30)
The Hill: Trump Urges Recovered COVID-19 Patients To Donate Plasma
Convalescent plasma is being studied as a possible treatment for COVID-19. Those who have had the virus and have recovered develop antibodies against the virus in the blood, which could be used to treat those still battling the disease. "We've seen that this is a safe treatment and we're encouraged by the early promising data that we've seen," Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn said during a roundtable discussing the coronavirus. (Samuels, 7/30)
In related news —
GMA: Texas Couple Has Saved 68 Lives And Counting With Their COVID-19 Plasma Donations
As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, one couple is helping to save lives one plasma donation at a time. Brian and Dina Murphy of San Antonio, Texas, have made it their mission to help others by donating plasma to 68 people after both fell ill with the virus in March. "I felt that really, God really saved me and to be a survivor," Dina, 60, told "Good Morning America." "I felt that this is really what he wants me to do -- to help others." (Bernabe, 7/30)
