Plasma donation
Plasma donation is a modern and gentle form of blood donation. In this case, you only donate the liquid part of your blood. You keep your blood cells. This is made possible by a special technique the so-called plasmapheresis. A Pheresis machines draws blood from you, separates the blood cells from the liquid plasma and returns the cells to you.
The plasma is collected in a special bottle.
Since only the blood fluid is donated, your body can regenerate in two days. Plasma can thus be donated more often than blood.
What is ...
Blood plasma is the light yellow-colored liquid part of blood in which blood cells are absent, but which contains proteins and other constituents of whole blood in suspension. It makes up about 55% of the body’s total blood volume. It is mostly water (up to 95% by volume) and contains important dissolved proteins ( up to 8%).
Most prominent proteins in blood plasma are albumins, globulins, fibrinogen and clotting factors.
It plays a vital role in the protecting the body from infections and other blood-related disorders.
Dependency on a donated raw material
The donated blood plasma contains important plasma proteins. These proteins are used to make medicines. Seriously ill people who suffer for example from genetic immunodeficiencies are dependent on these drugs for a lifetime.
There is no substitute product for immunoglobulins for these patients.
Many other diseases are treated with plasma proteins. However, due to the fact the world has not enough plasma, not all patients can be treated much less all indications. Most plasma comes USA donations.
Blood Plasma is acknowledged by the OECD and the WHO as critical raw material.