As of 18th March 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care has asked NHSBT to stop collecting convalescent plasma. This follows the completed analysis of trial results and a decision not to proceed with a third trial into plasma use before hospital care. The trial results have helped scientists all over the world to learn more about how to treat the virus successfully.

The good news is that we are starting to adapt our donor network to collect plasma to help make medicines already being used to treat patients with rare diseases. We are in the early stages of collecting plasma in this way and may contact you in the future if we think your donation could help patients who depend on these types of treatments. You can find more information on plasma for medicines on our website nhsbt.nhs.uk/covid-19-research/plasma-programme.

There’s no need for you to do anything now. We may write to you with options about donating blood or other products in the future.