Convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19: March 2020-present

In March 2020, Jeff helped found a national physician-scientist group to form the National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project (ccpp19.org). This grass roots effort supported study of this non-commercial therapeutic together with advocacy and support of its appropriate use:

• Arturo Casadevall MD, PhD (Chair), Johns Hopkins University

• Brenda J. Grossman, MD, MPH, Washington University School of Medicine

• Michael J Joyner, MD, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine

• Jeffrey P Henderson MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine

• Nigel Paneth MD, MPH, Michigan State University

• Liise-anne Pirofski, MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• Shmuel Shoham MD, Johns Hopkins University

Jeff's publications related to this effort may be found here.

A publication with his college roommate Dr. Michael Thompson provided early evidence that convalescent plasma can be life-saving for those with deficient antibody production due to cancer, drug therapy, or congenital deficiencies. As the virus has evolved to evade monoclonal antibodies, this remains an important and effective therapeutic option.