"It's a wonder drug to be honest with you, and it brings your level right up again, so your immune system has a better chance of dealing with anything across the board. Instead of visiting the hospital every three days for stomach injections to raise neutrophil and white cell levels, Whatney can now come in every four weeks."
"The 63-year-old told BBC London how he originally 'shrugged off his symptoms' until he collapsed at his GP when the MS was attacking. Whatney was offered HSCT (haematopoietic stem cell transplantation) - a treatment involving intense chemotherapy to completely wipe out and 'reset' the immune system - but this treatment did not work as hoped."
"He describes the treatment as 'life-saving and life-changing' because 'without your immune system working properly, you're in a world of hurt'. Now, he instead relies on monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions at King's College Hospital, a treatment made from blood plasma, to keep him well and out of hospital."
The NHS has completed one year of using UK-donated plasma to create lifesaving medicines for patients. Niall Whatney, a 63-year-old MS patient from London, has experienced significant improvement through monthly intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusions made from donated plasma. Previously reliant on injections every three days, Whatney now visits the hospital monthly, allowing him greater independence and stability in managing his condition. After stem cell transplantation proved unsuccessful, the plasma-based treatment has proven highly effective at stabilizing his symptoms and keeping him out of hospital. The UK resumed using domestically donated plasma in 2023 after a 25-year ban implemented due to vCJD transmission concerns.
#nhs-plasma-donation #multiple-sclerosis-treatment #ivig-immunoglobulin-therapy #patient-independence #blood-plasma-medicine
Read at www.bbc.com
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