Author: Dorron Blumberg

FDA Approves Miami Cancer Institute, a part of Baptist Health South Florida, to Perform New, In-house Test for COVID-19 in its Molecular Diagnostic Lab

Posted by | Apr 17, 2020 | |

 The organization is the First in Florida, and one of 12 sites in U.S. to receive this emergency authorization to perform newly developed testing 
 
April 17, 2020 – This week, the Food & Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Baptist Hospital of Miami Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at Miami Cancer Institute, to perform a new COVID-19 swab tests in-house. The test was developed at Miami Cancer Institute, which is part of Baptist Health.
 
 

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MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM SEEKING PLASMA DONATIONS FROM COVID-19 SURVIVORS

Posted by | Apr 16, 2020 | |

Community members who have recovered from COVID-19 may qualify to help people who are battling the virus
 
April 16, 2020 –  Memorial Healthcare System announced it has been registered to participate in Mayo Clinic’s Convalescent Plasma Expanded Access Program to test the use of donated blood as a treatment for people with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The Broward County-based hospital system is urging community members who fully recovered from COVID-19 to donate potentially lifesaving plasma. Memorial Healthcare System has partnered with OneBlood for the plasma collection.
 
 

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Lee Health Joins Mayo Clinic in Expanded Access Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 – Convalescent Blood Donors Needed Locally to Launch Study

Posted by | Apr 16, 2020 | |

 April 16, 2020 – Starting Monday, April 20, patients who are being admitted to Lee Health hospitals with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus that causes COVID-19) may qualify to enroll in a clinical trial providing access to experimental convalescent plasma for the treatment of COVID-19. 

Lee Health has been accepted and registered as a participating site in Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Study.
 

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With PPE Shortages Ongoing, AMA Urges FEMA to Act as Single National Source for Acquisition

Posted by | Apr 15, 2020 | |

April 14 2020 – With ongoing, serious concern about the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for physicians, frontline health care workers and laboratory workers handling specimens and test kits related to COVID-19, the American Medical Association (AMA) today called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to act as the single national source for procurement of the supplies. After calling on the Administration last month to take a stronger role in PPE acquisition and distribution, the AMA is still seeing states and facilities in direct competition with the federal government and each other for limited amounts of PPE. 

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