FAQS

Plasma is a clear, yellowish liquid component of human blood that is generally 50-60% of the volume. Cells and a variety of substances vital to the human body are carried throughout the body in plasma. It contains water, salts, enzymes, antibodies, and other proteins. The substances carried in plasma are critical to fighting diseases, and therefore, essential for maintaining health.

Plasma contains numerous proteins, which are essential for the body to function properly. Important plasma proteins include:

• Albumin which maintains fluid balance by keeping fluid in blood vessels and transports substances like hormones, vitamins, fatty acids, and drugs throughout the body)
• Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor​ (protects the lungs)
• C1 Esterase Inhibitor​ (helps regulate inflammation)
• Clotting or Coagulation Factors​ (controls bleeding)
• Fibrinogen (controls bleeding and helps wounds heal)
• Immunoglobulins or "Antibodies"​ (control the immune system and prevent illness)
• And many more! The body has thousands of plasma proteins, many of which are being researched for additional treatment purposes.

Plasma-derived medicines (also often referred to as plasma protein therapies or plasma-derived medicinal products [PDMPs]) are medicines made from donated plasma. These therapies are used to treat people with rare, chronic, and life-threatening conditions. Examples are treatment of shock and burns, inability to fight infection, inability to form a clot to stop bleeding. Manufacturing plasma-derived medicines is a lengthy, complex, and highly regulated process which can take up to one year.

These unique therapies treat a variety of chronic and life-threatening medical conditions, many times caused by insufficient levels of any one plasma protein. Medicines created from donated plasma are sometimes used as a sole treatment or in combination with other treatments to support a variety of medical needs. Some conditions include:
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• Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency – a genetic condition that can cause damage to the liver and lungs.
• Hereditary Angioedema – can lead to severe swelling and be fatal if airway is obstructed.
• Bleeding Disorders – patients cannot regulate bleeding; can be fatal if bleeding occurs in brain or vital organs.
• Immunodeficiency Diseases – causes patients to become chronically ill from severe, persistent, recurrent infections.
• Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy – symptoms include progressive weakness, loss of limb function, and disability.
• Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN) – when a mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive, the mother’s immune system becomes sensitized and makes antibodies against the baby’s red blood cells. However, when the mother receives anti-D immunoglobulin, it protects the baby from life-threatening blood destruction caused by Rh incompatibility.
• Everyday Medicines – plasma-derived medicines are used to treat shock, severe burns, and massive blood loss and can help stabilize patients in intensive care units. Plasma-derived medicines are used in hospitals every day to control bleeding and manage infections in transplant patients.

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Plasma-derived medicines are critical because they replace or supplement essential human proteins that the body cannot make on its own — or cannot make in sufficient amounts — when people are sick, injured, or genetically unable to do so. For many patients, there is no alternative therapy.

The production of plasma-derived medicines begins with donated plasma from healthy individuals. Plasma donations are pooled, and then individual proteins are extracted through a complex and highly-regulated process called fractionation.

Unlike simple blood donation, plasma is collected through a process called plasmapheresis. A needle is placed into a vein in the arm and connected to a plasmapheresis machine which removes whole blood, separates the plasma from the other blood components, and then returns those components to the donor.

Source plasma is plasma collected from healthy donors and used exclusively to make plasma protein therapies. The U.S. FDA defines source plasma as the fluid portion of human blood collected by plasmapheresis and intended as source material for further manufacturing use. The definition  distinguishes source plasma from transfused components like red blood cells. (Source)

Recovered plasma is plasma that is taken from a whole blood donation, rather than collected from a plasma donor through plasmapheresis. Recovered plasma, when not needed for transfusion or other purposes, is sometimes used to make plasma-derived medicines.

Source plasma is collected at specialized donation centers located in the United States and Europe. To find a center near you, visit here.

Use this map to find a plasma donation center near you.

If you are over 18 and weigh at least 110 pounds (50 kg), please arrive to a plasma donation center near you with a valid form of ID, and having eaten  before your appointment (eating protein before donating is recommended). It's also important to be well hydrated prior to donating plasma. Your first visit will generally take about two hours, and include medical exams and tests to ensure your eligibility to donate plasma. After you donate your first time, most subsequent visits will take 90 minutes or less. Common side effects of plasma donation are similar to those of blood donation and may include bruising, dehydration, or dizziness. Eating and drinking before a donation may help prevent side effects.

People are compensated for their commitment and effort as donating plasma can be a lengthy process, and one that typically involves frequent donation. Plasma donation is not a one-time solution. Patients rely on consistent access to therapies year-round, meaning the need for plasma is constant. Because plasma-derived medicines take up to 12 months to produce from donation to availability for patients and require multiple donations to create a single treatment, maintaining a stable plasma supply with the commitment of healthy, regular donors are critical to meeting patient need. For example, it takes approximately 1,200 plasma donations to treat one person living with hemophilia for one year.
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Donating plasma saves and supports millions of patients' lives around the world and is critical for therapy for many patients. Much like the gift cards and other tokens that blood donors receive, plasma donors are provided with a modest stipend to recognize the substantial commitment of personal time and travel required to be a plasma donor. Each plasma collection facility sets its own compensation rates. Contact your local plasma collection center to discuss their specific compensation policies.