CLINICAL TRIAL OF TREATMENT USING BLOOD PLASMA

[Anchor Lead]

Clinical trials are underway on some 900 COVID-19 treatments across the globe but no clear prospects regarding their availability and effectiveness are being shown. On the home front, a clinical trial will soon begin to test a treatment using blood plasma.

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This community health center worker in Bundang, Gyeonggi-do Province, was confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 back in late March. Sohn Bok-sim fully recovered after receiving medical treatment for 40 days. She now wants to do something to help the fight against the virus. So Sohn decided to donate her blood plasma, which is needed for the development of a COVID-19 cure.

[Soundbite] "It'll sting a bit. Don't move. Here it goes."

People who have completely recovered from the disease carry antibodies in their blood plasma that can attack and defeat the virus. Therefore, their blood plasma is the most crucial element in developing a cure.

[Soundbite] SOHN BOK-SIM(FORMER COVID-19 PATIENT) : "While receiving no particular treatment, I was just waiting to hear that I tested negative for the virus. I desperately wished that a cure would be developed quickly."

About 170 recovered patients donated their blood plasma. Sufficient amount for clinical trial has been collected. But there's still a long way to go. Donation applicants must be confirmed to be fit in the first selective test. Next, they will donate their blood in hospitals. Across the nation, only four hospitals can receive blood plasma donations. Three of them are located in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Even if there are applicants, the process is complicated. But medical experts stress now is the best time to develop a blood plasma-based COVID-19 cure. The level of neutralizing antibodies in blood plasma begins to decrease three or four months after infections.

[Soundbite] CHOI WON-SEOK(PROF. KOREA UNIVERSITY ANSAN HOSPITAL) : "The level of antibodies drops naturally. We need more blood donations so that there's enough to conduct three rounds of clinical trials and develop the cure."

Health authorities appropriated an extra budget of 45 billion won to support the development of a COVID-19 treatment. They will also come up with measures to encourage blood plasma donations, such as deploying blood collection buses in hospitals.