CANTON, Ohio (July 6, 2020) – Aultman Hospital is the only hospital in Stark or Tuscarawas counties enrolled in an experimental treatment program sponsored by the Mayo Clinic using plasma from people who have recovered from coronavirus to help treat others.

People who recover from COVID-19 do so, at least in part, because their blood contains substances called antibodies, which are capable of fighting the virus that causes the illness. For some other diseases caused by viruses, giving people the liquid portion of blood, called plasma, from those who have recovered from the virus leads to more rapid improvement of the disease.

“Convalescent plasma is one of the most current experimental treatments we have for fighting this pandemic, and we’re proud to be among the hospitals participating in this promising research to help patients in Northeast Ohio and around the world,” said Dr. Nihad Boutros, medical director, critical care services.

Aultman has been enrolled in this program since its infancy in February. Data collected by Aultman is sent for further research at the Mayo Clinic. Across the country and internationally, the program has more than 2,500 sites enrolled, more than 9,000 physicians registered and over 40,600 patients.

Initial data from studies using COVID-19 convalescent plasma for the treatment of individuals with severe or life-threatening disease indicates that a single dose of 200 mL showed a benefit for some patients, leading to improvement.

About Aultman Health Foundation
The Aultman Health Foundation is a nonprofit health care organization serving Stark and surrounding counties. The integrated health care system includes Aultman Hospital, Aultman Orrville Hospital, Aultman Alliance Community Hospital, Aultman Specialty Hospital, the locally managed health insurance provider AultCare, The Aultman Foundation and Aultman College. With 1,032 beds, over 800 active physicians and a team of more than 7,000 team members, Aultman is Stark County's largest provider of health care services. For more information, visit www.aultman.org.