Giuseppe De Donno’s legacy honored in Mantua as hyperimmune plasma champion

A commemorative event was held in Curtatone, near Mantua, to mark the fifth anniversary of the death of pneumologist Giuseppe De Donno. The ceremony highlighted his pioneering use of hyperimmune plasma during the COVID‑19 pandemic, a therapy that he applied early on and which later studies confirmed as effective in saving thousands of patients. Organisers noted that the local plasma collection network now harvests around 7,500 plasma bags a year, a figure that continues to grow.

Colleagues, including Dr Massimo Franchini, recalled De Donno’s dedication to patients of all ages and his belief that plasma therapy should be deployed immediately in future pandemics. The event also reflected on De Donno’s personal tragedy—his suicide in July 2021 after intense public and political pressure—but affirmed his lasting impact on Italian and international medicine.