A new plasma product could put lifesaving blood care closer to where combat medics need it most
Military trauma experts say a newly approved plasma product could help expand lifesaving care far from hospitals.
A new freeze-dried plasma product, developed by Teleflex, has received FDA approval, potentially offering life-saving medical care to US military medics in dire circumstances. This innovation could also benefit civilian populations if ambulances incorporate the product into their emergency kits. The product, labeled EzPlaz, is a freeze-dried form of plasma, a critical component in blood that aids in clotting and controlling bleeding.
It can be stored unrefrigerated for up to a year, making it a more practical option for far-flung military operations and austere environments where traditional blood supplies may be unavailable or challenging to transport. The FDA approval of EzPlaz comes after previous emergency authorizations for plasma products made by the French government in 2018 and Switzerland's Octapharma in 2024.
These earlier versions required refrigeration and were housed in glass bottles, unlike EzPlaz, which is packaged in a durable plastic bag, making it more convenient for military medics to carry in their already-burdened medical kits. The FDA's decision underscores the significant role freeze-dried plasma can play in addressing an important unmet medical need, particularly for military personnel and others operating in environments far removed from conventional hospital infrastructure.
Trauma experts highlight that this FDA approval represents a pivotal step in a long-standing military endeavor to provide lifesaving blood products beyond hospital walls. The FDA's approval emphasizes the significance of this development, enabling military medics to deliver critical care to wounded troops in challenging situations.
The product's long shelf life, combined with its ease of storage and transport, could prove invaluable in military conflicts where logistics present formidable challenges, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine or a potential large-scale conflict in the Pacific. While freeze-dried plasma is not intended as a replacement for whole blood, military trauma professionals view it as a valuable tool for extending medical assistance farther from hospitals and surgical facilities.
The military has been pursuing this capability for years, with the Defense Department launching initiatives like the FSHARP program in 2018 to develop synthetic whole blood that could be stored on shelves and carried into future conflicts. However, the medical community emphasizes that freeze-dried plasma should be seen as part of a broader solution, complementing, rather than supplanting, traditional blood transfusions.
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