The Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY (RECOVERY) trial is a national platform trial testing existing treatments that may help people hospitalised with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
The inclusion of convalescent plasma in the RECOVERY trial means that many more people will now start to receive convalescent plasma, which is being collected by NHS Blood and Transplant.
People had already received convalescent plasma through a smaller, more specialised platform trial called REMAP-CAP, which is looking at treatments for pneumonia. The REMAP-CAP trial is not exclusively focused on COVID-19 and only adults in intensive care could receive convalescent plasma.
RECOVERY is open to patients of any age admitted to hospitals with COVID-19. Selected hospitals are currently able to randomise patients to receive convalescent plasma and this will expand out to all hospitals participating in the RECOVERY trial.