PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PROMOTING SAFE PLASMA DONATIONS TO PROTECT AMERICANS AND DEFEAT COVID-19

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2020

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP IS PROMOTING SAFE PLASMA DONATIONS TO PROTECT AMERICANS AND DEFEAT COVID-19   “Through the genius of our scientists, the devotion of our doctors, the skill of our workers, and the dedication of our people, we will achieve victory over the virus and emerge stronger than ever before.” – President Donald J. Trump   ADVANCING PLASMA DONATIONS: President Donald J. Trump is working to expand access to and encourage blood plasma donations to fight against COVID-19. Under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has worked tirelessly to study the effectiveness of and increase access to plasma. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program to quickly develop treatments, including investigational studies of the use of plasma. The Trump Administration and a public-private coalition have launched websites and campaigns to raise awareness of the possible benefits of plasma and to encourage donations. The Administration has also coordinated with State and local officials, as well as community leaders and celebrities, to get the message out on plasma donation. The Trump Administration has also coordinated with collection centers and hospitals across the public and private sector to monitor and expand capacity and prioritize hotspots. More than 14 healthcare organizations are joining the campaign, including the American Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers, and the American Medical Association. HIGHLIGHTING CRITICAL TREATMENT: Plasma-based treatments have the potential to deliver antibodies to patients fighting COVID-19, a potentially game changing treatment. Plasma donations are important for many Americans, including those with immunodeficiencies. Donors can give plasma multiple times – providing a supply of useful antibody treatments. As the race to develop effective vaccines and therapeutics continues, convalescent plasma is the first widely available antibody-based therapy for this virus. While HHS continues to clinically evaluate efficacy data, a large Mayo Clinic study found that the use of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 is safe, and preliminary results suggest a lower mortality rate for COVID-19 patients when plasma is administered early in the disease course. Convalescent plasma can also be used to make hyperimmune globulin, a potential therapeutic currently undergoing clinical trials. SECURING EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS: This action expands on President Trump’s historic efforts to accelerate the development of vaccines and therapeutics, while ensuring their safety, effectiveness, and quality. President Trump is using every resource at his disposal to develop safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics in record time. Through Operation Warp Speed, President Trump is coordinating the best minds of the United States Government and private industry to quickly deliver vaccines and therapeutics to the American people. Thanks to President Trump, the United States has secured 650,000 courses of the drug remdesivir, which has been shown to decrease mortality and speed up recovery time. Additionally, President Trump has invested in the rapid development and manufacturing of other therapeutics – including Regeneron’s double antibody cocktail.