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Medical Center - University of Freiburg provides plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

For the first time, the Institute of Transfusional Medicine and Genetherapy at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is able to provide plasma for the treatment of patients suffering from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. "We have been calling on former COVID-19 patients to donate since mid-April and have already been able to produce a number of plasmas. Now that official permission has been granted, the therapeutic plasma can be used," says Prof. Dr. Toni Cathomen, Director of the Institute.

"The plasma from people who have previously contracted COVID-19 contains antibodies against the virus. Studies indicate that the administration of this therapeutic plasma supports the immune system of patients in fighting the coronavirus," adds Dr. Markus Umhau, Senior Physician Transfusion Medicine at the University Hospital.

Plasma is the liquid part of the blood. After an infection with SARS-CoV-2, the plasma contains antibodies against the novel coronavirus. "In individual cases, it can be used as a therapeutic component in the complex treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients and patients with immunodeficiency," explains Prof. Dr. Winfried Kern, Head of the Department of Infectiology at the Department of Medicine II at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

In order to be able to offer this type of therapy on an ongoing basis, the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is continuing to call on people to donate plasma who have been proven to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and have recovered. The plasma collected by the Blood Donation Center from people who have recovered from COVID-19 is used therapeutically at the University Medical Center in what is known as an "individual treatment trial".

Requirements for COVID-19 plasma donation

Anyone wishing to help seriously ill COVID-19 patients with plasma donations must meet several requirements: There must be positive evidence of SARS-CoV-2 and the disease must have been cured for at least four weeks. It is also required by law that there must not have been a pregnancy in the past.

Anyone who meets these criteria can contact us at with the subject "Covidplasma", stating their first and last name, date of birth and a personal telephone number. The Blood Donation Center at the University Hospital will then contact interested parties to arrange appointments for the preliminary examination and plasma donation. Plasma donations can be made every two weeks for a period of several months. Further information can be found at www.blutspende-uniklinik.de.