Blood plasma centers collect plasma donations for medical treatment of blood disorders. Unlike blood donation, plasma donation is often a for-profit enterprise. Donors must meet certain requirements and are paid a small stipend. It’s important to ensure the center is licensed and adhere to donation frequency requirements.
A blood plasma center is a type of medical facility where plasma donations are collected. This donated plasma can then be used to treat blood disorders in other individuals and is invaluable to people requiring this type of medical treatment. Unlike blood donation, for which donors are almost never paid, plasma donation is often a for-profit enterprise. An individual may receive a small stipend for donating his or her plasma at a blood plasma center. Before donating to one of these centers, it’s important to make sure it’s licensed by a third-party certifier, such as the International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP).
Similar to any other type of medical facility, a blood plasma center is staffed by trained technicians or nurses who can safely extract plasma from blood. It is a completely safe and sterile process and donors must meet certain requirements in advance before donating. Minimum age and weight limits are usually determined, as well as an initial physical exam to ensure overall health and blood work to ensure no communicable diseases are present. Blood will be retested after each donation to make sure it is safe, and most people are also tested before donating with a simple fingertip to make sure their hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are within safe, acceptable ranges. All of this will take place at the blood plasma center.
The next step at the blood plasma center is to actually donate the plasma. Similar to any other type of blood donation, a needle is inserted into your arm for the duration of the process as blood is drawn; the plasma is separated from the whole blood in an external mechanical device, then the remaining blood components are returned to the donor’s body through the same needle. The entire process of donating at a blood plasma center will generally take at least an hour or more. A simple snack of juice or biscuits is often provided to prevent dizziness, but it’s a good idea to eat beforehand as well.
Because many blood plasma centers are for-profit, they often pay donors for their plasma. This isn’t a large amount, but it’s an incentive to get people to donate. The blood plasma center will specify how often an individual can donate, sometimes once every week or two. It is important to adhere to these requirements to avoid potential problems such as permanent damage to the veins. It is also important to remember that while a payment is not offered, it is still very important to donate blood regularly to help others.
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