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New research doubles prior US Long Covid estimates, while US patients face insurance denials and a scarcity of domestic apheresis providers offering treatment is driving demand for international H.E.L.P. Apheresis treatment.

Larnaca, CYPRUS, July 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A major US study published in JAMA Network Open in May 2026 found that Long Covid affects 16.3% of COVID-19 patients, roughly 1 in 6,  more than double the 5–7% previously estimated by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The research, analysing nearly 458,000 patients at 58 US hospitals, also found that new Long Covid cases continued to rise through mid-2024, contradicting assumptions that the condition is a fading legacy of the pandemic's early waves. As the scale of the problem becomes clearer, the Apheresis Center in Larnaca, Cyprus, reports rising demand for its signature Long Covid treatment and chronic fatigue treatment: H.E.L.P. Apheresis.

The Apheresis Center welcomes international patients for specialist Long Covid, Post-Vac and Chronic Illness treatment in its Cyprus clinic

The JAMA study's authors found prevalence ranging from 13.6% in Western Pennsylvania to 22.7% in Southern California, translating to an estimated 18 million-plus Americans living with Long Covid. This figure dwarfs previous government estimates, reframing Long Covid as a current public health issue. For the growing population of patients with post-viral illness and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), many of whom have spent years cycling through specialists without lasting relief, the Apheresis Center offers a structured, medically supervised treatment pathway built around H.E.L.P. Apheresis and its broader Combination Therapy protocol, known as The Cyprus Protocol.

Why Are US Long Covid Patients Travelling Abroad for Treatment?

The complementary market analysis by the Apheresis Center shows patients in the United States face a domestic coverage and access gap that leaves many without a nearby, insured pathway to apheresis-based treatment. Despite the evidence base, US insurers commonly classify H.E.L.P. Apheresis and related plasmapheresis techniques as experimental because they are not explicitly FDA-approved for Long Covid. A full recommended course of five to eight sessions can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 out of pocket in the US, excluding travel and lodging, a financial burden that is the key driver behind travel to specialist clinics overseas.

Scarcity compounds the cost problem. Apheresis is a well-established procedure at major US hospitals, but the procedure is rarely used specifically to treat Long Covid or ME/CFS, the bulk of published clinical experience concentrated in specialist clinics in Germany and Cyprus rather than the US. For American patients, that means the hospitals equipped to perform apheresis are frequently not using it for this condition, while insurers decline to fund it on the rare occasions when it is offered.

Coverage obstacles extend beyond experimental-treatment denials. Other researchers have documented that Long Covid patients face high deductibles, benefit limits and "medical necessity" reviews that frequently result in denied claims. In addition, public records show income-replacement insurance denials for long covid cases are now featuring Federal lawsuits, demonstrating additional pressures on patients. The Apheresis Center in Larnaca reports that this combination of domestic scarcity and coverage denial is a recurring reason patients cite for travelling to Cyprus for a structured, out-of-pocket treatment programme.

What Does H.E.L.P. Stand For?

H.E.L.P. Apheresis stands for Heparin-Mediated Extracorporeal LDL/Fibrinogen Precipitation, a form of therapeutic blood filtration originally developed for severe cholesterol disorders and now used at the Apheresis Center as a Long Covid treatment and chronic fatigue treatment. Broken down, each part of the name describes a step in the process: Heparin-Mediated refers to heparin, a blood-thinning medication, being mixed with the blood outside the body to bind with targeted proteins and trigger precipitation; Extracorporeal means the process takes place outside the body, with blood drawn, filtered through a machine, and safely returned; LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein, commonly known as "bad" cholesterol; Fibrinogen is a clotting protein found in blood; and Precipitation describes the process of separating and removing these specific substances from the blood plasma.

Clinically, the procedure works like an intensive filtration technique similar to dialysis: blood is drawn, plasma is separated and treated with heparin at a low pH, causing LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a) and fibrinogen to clump together and filter out, before the cleansed plasma is restored to its normal pH and returned to the patient. First used to treat severe high cholesterol and heart disease, H.E.L.P. Apheresis has more recently been adopted by specialised clinics, including the Apheresis Center, to reduce microclots and systemic inflammation in conditions such as Long Covid and ME/CFS.

"The H.E.L.P. Apheresis machine has existed for almost 40 years. We traditionally used them to treat high-risk patients with coronary heart disease who had suffered several myocardial infarctions, or had received a heart transplant," said Dr Beate Jaeger, Medical Advisor and Researcher at the Apheresis Center. "These machines remove excess damaging stuff from the blood, and they do it in a harmonised manner so it does no harm to the patients." 

Markus Klotz, Founder of the Apheresis Center, built the clinic after his own recovery from Long Covid using H.E.L.P. Apheresis and Combination Therapy five years ago. "There were two important  factors for me from day one: accessibility, keeping these sophisticated treatments as accessible as possible, and achieving the best possible treatment results," said Klotz. "Nobody should have to go through what I experienced whilst having severe and completely disabling chronic illness."

Patient Outcomes and Documented Safety Record

H.E.L.P. Apheresis has been in clinical use for close to 40 years, with more than 500,000 treatments documented, according to the Apheresis Center. The clinic's protocol data shows the treatment can enhance blood flow and reduce blood viscosity, alongside removing inflammatory cytokines, spike proteins and microclots from circulation. Severe complications are rare; the clinic reports that the most common side effects are mild, including temporary bruising, fatigue, low blood pressure or electrolyte imbalance.

How to Access H.E.L.P. Apheresis Treatment

Patients seeking Long Covid treatment or chronic fatigue treatment at the Apheresis Center begin with a free 25–30 minute consultation to assess suitability, followed by a paid doctor's consultation, a face-to-face medical assessment on arrival in Cyprus, and a treatment phase of five to eight H.E.L.P. Apheresis sessions over three to six weeks. Sessions cost €1,790 (approx $2050) each, with most patients requiring five to six sessions for meaningful results. The clinic, based in Larnaca, provides multilingual support and works with local partners to assist with travel and accommodation for the international patients who make up the majority of its caseload.

Patients or their carers who want to explore whether H.E.L.P. Apheresis is suitable for their condition can book a free consultation with the Apheresis Center to receive an initial suitability review from the clinical team.

Which Conditions Does H.E.L.P. Apheresis Treat?

H.E.L.P. Apheresis and Combination Therapy at the Apheresis Center are used to the clusters of symptoms and conditions associated with post-viral and chronic inflammatory illness, including:

• Long Covid and Post-Vaccine Syndrome
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
• Post-exertional malaise (PEM) and severe fatigue
• Brain fog and cognitive dysfunction
• POTS and dysautonomia
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
• Chronic pain and fibromyalgia
• Lyme disease and co-infections
• Autoimmune conditions, including lupus and multiple sclerosis

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does H.E.L.P. Apheresis remove from the blood? H.E.L.P. Apheresis removes LDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, inflammatory cytokines, immune complexes, microclots and, in some cases, autoantibodies from blood plasma. Removing these substances is intended to reduce inflammation, improve circulation and lower immune dysregulation in patients with Long Covid, ME/CFS and related chronic illnesses.

How is H.E.L.P. Apheresis different from standard plasma exchange? Unlike standard plasmapheresis, H.E.L.P. Apheresis targets specific inflammatory and clot-forming substances using heparin-induced precipitation, rather than removing all plasma proteins or relying on replacement fluid from donors. The Apheresis Center reports this makes the procedure more precise and less taxing on the body for chronic illness patients.

How many H.E.L.P. Apheresis sessions will I need for Long Covid or ME/CFS? Most patients at the Apheresis Center undergo a core protocol of five to eight sessions, scheduled twice weekly over three to six weeks. The exact number is determined individually based on diagnostic testing and the patient's response to earlier sessions.

How quickly can patients see improvement after treatment? Some patients report noticeable improvement in brain fog, breathlessness, circulation and fatigue after just one to two sessions. Others require four to six sessions before observing significant and sustained benefits, according to the clinic's published patient data.

Is H.E.L.P. Apheresis safe, and what are the side effects? H.E.L.P. Apheresis has a documented safety record spanning close to 40 years and more than 500,000 treatments. The Apheresis Center reports that severe complications are extremely rare due to the closed-loop, heparin-based filtration system, with the most common side effects being mild bruising, temporary fatigue, low blood pressure or electrolyte imbalance.

Will health insurance cover H.E.L.P. Apheresis treatment? Coverage depends on the patient's country and insurance provider. In the US, insurers typically classify H.E.L.P. Apheresis as experimental for Long Covid and deny coverage, since it is not explicitly FDA-approved. The Apheresis Center assists patients with documentation to support reimbursement claims where coverage is possible, though it advises patients to confirm their policy's position before travelling.

Why is H.E.L.P. Apheresis hard to find in the United States? Apheresis itself is widely available at major US hospitals, but it is rarely used at these centres specifically to treat Long Covid or ME/CFS. Most published clinical experience using H.E.L.P. Apheresis for post-viral illness comes from specialist clinics in Germany and Cyprus, where many US patients travel for treatment.

Do you treat children with Long Covid or chronic fatigue syndrome? The Apheresis Center treats adults and, on a case-by-case basis, adolescents weighing 30kg or more. Parental consent and paediatrician collaboration is required for younger patients.

About Apheresis Center

Apheresis Center (apheresiscenter.eu) is a specialist Long Covid treatment and chronic fatigue treatment clinic based in Larnaca, Cyprus, and a brand of Raegal Management Limited. Founded by Markus Klotz following his own recovery from Long Covid, the clinic describes itself as the world's first purpose-built apheresis centre for Long Covid, Post-Vaccine Syndrome and chronic illness, and has treated more than 1,200 patients using H.E.L.P. Apheresis and its wider Combination Therapy protocol, The Cyprus Protocol. 

The clinic operates under Cyprus's Ministry of Health regulatory framework, partners with certified German apheresis laboratories, and uses CE-marked Class IIb medical devices including the Plasauto Sigma and Medica LifeSep systems. Its medical team includes physicians registered with the Cyprus Medical Association. The clinic offers multilingual support in German, English, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, Croatian and Russian.

Learn more about H.E.L.P. Apheresis treatment for Long Covid and chronic fatigue at the Apheresis Center.

Editor's note
Individual patient outcomes vary by condition, severity and medical history. The testimonials referenced above reflect individual patient experiences and are not a guarantee of results for any other patient. Prospective patients should consult a qualified physician to determine suitability for treatment.

The Apheresis Center in Cyprus is purpose-built for Long COVID, Post-Vac, and Chronic Illness treatment.

Press Inquiries

Allan Edwards
allan [at] binarypr.co.uk
Tel: +44 7956583080