FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2020

Our Lady of the Lake to Participate in Convalescent Plasma Expanded Access Program

BATON ROUGE, LA – Our Lady of the Lake announced today its participation as a site in a new expanded access program led by the Mayo Clinic providing coordinated access to investigational convalescent plasma for hospitalized patients with severe or life-threatening COVID-19, or those at high risk of progression to severe or life-threatening disease. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the designation on Friday, April 3.

There is currently no proven treatment for COVID-19; however, the program will explore whether or not convalescent plasma, which contains antibodies to the virus that leads to COVID-19, may provide passive immunity to certain patients with severe forms of the illness.

“Our Lady of the Lake’s team of dedicated research scientists and physicians are working on numerous clinical trials exploring potential treatments of COVID-19 and expediting diagnosis,” said Vince Cataldo, MD, a medical oncologist and hematologist, and the program’s physician leader. “Collaborating with the Mayo Clinic on this convalescent plasma expanded access program will give patients who have recovered from COVID-19 an opportunity to give back to their community and potentially help those who will contract the disease in the future.”

Our Lady of the Lake Blood Donor Center has begun collecting convalescent plasma from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. The collected plasma will be distributed to patients at Our Lady of the Lake who qualify and enroll in the trial.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma can only be donated by someone who is otherwise eligible to donate blood. Donors must present identification and will be required to bring proof of a positive COVID-19 test result. Donors must have been recovered (symptom-free) for at least 28 days. Donors who have been symptom-free for 14-27 days will need to provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test. All donors are asked to eat well and adequately hydrate before and after donation.

To schedule a donation or learn if you qualify to donate plasma, contact the Our Lady of the Lake Blood Donor Center at 225-765-8338 or email Jay.thomas@fmolhs.org.

For more information from the Mayo Clinic on the research study, click here.
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About Our Lady of the Lake
Our Lady of the Lake is a not-for-profit healthcare ministry based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with more than 7,500 employees committed to serving the Capital Region and building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education. With an 800-bed Regional Medical Center, a dedicated Children’s Hospital, a 78-bed hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana, two freestanding emergency rooms, and a 500+ provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally-invasive procedures and more. Our Lady of the Lake is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System.    0101C0mm4n1c@t10nsA110w
 Contact: Ryan Cross | ryan.cross@fmolhs.org |  225-278-9215 (cell)
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