Why do they pay for plasma and not blood?

Have you ever wondered why plasma donors get paid, but blood donors don’t? Is there a conspiracy here to keep the cash flowing in one direction only? Or is it just that the powers that be have got something against red corpuscles? All will be revealed as we delve into this mysterious world of fluid donations…

What’s the difference between Plasma and Blood?

First things first – let’s clarify what we’re talking about. In case you didn’t know (and if you did, well done), plasma is basically what remains when all the cells are taken out of your blood. It’s mostly made up of water and proteins, which can help with clotting and keeping your body healthy. Blood, on the other hand, contains all kinds of delicious things like red and white cells (yum), platelets (double yum) and other nutrients.

So why do they need Plasma more than Blood?

You might think that since both substances come from our veins, hospitals would be happy to take whatever they can get. But it turns out Plasma has some particularly desirable properties (no pun intended). Here’s why:

Plasma makes lots of different drugs

That watery stuff inside us actually has a lot going on behind the scenes – chemicals that help fight nasty diseases like haemophilia or immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Some people rely heavily on these medicines to stay healthy- so having enough plasma available is absolutely crucial.

Donating Blood means time off work

If someone gives whole-blood instead-of-just-plasma-, their donation takes much longer – around 45 minutes compared with just 15 for plasmapheresis treatment which extracts only plasma-. That means whoever donates needs more time off work…time their boss probably won’t appreciate!

Abundance

Another reason why medical centres prefer using synthetic products such as hemostats (for faster blood clotting) is that they don’t have to worry about donors getting sick, unhealthy or even running out of juice – plasma can also be kept longer in storage.

So if Plasma is so great, why doesn’t everyone donate?

Great question! Although there are millions of people who give their time and bodies willingly to help others- not all individuals are fit enough to earn extra cash for sitting on a chair with a needle in their arms.

It’s Risky

Even though the modern-day clinic provides sanitary facilities and strictly follows guidelines; still there might be risks involved while receiving drugs from biological sources due human errors in operation processes contaminating samples during preparation

Donor Eligibility

Plasma donation centres need to ensure that they only take blood from healthy humans. The careful selection process can involve elaborate physical tests such as checking cholesterol levels or haemoglobin count among other things.

Blood Donation Cramps your Style

You’ve got your work cut out for you well before donating anything – including abstaining from alcohol days before the donation takes place (to avoid impairing immune functions), taking care around food intake weeks earlier, avoiding any medications unless prescribed…all this adds up!

Why do clinics pay For plasma then?

Good Question! Though it might come across as odd at first,blood-clinics offer payment for plasma because clinical research has proved it results into an incentivized value-added effect involving more interested donors.

Also, unlike whole-blood donations that you get zero cents for — when ready-to-donate-commodities-like-plasma-sell directly into creating life-giving supplements like hyperimmune globulin used against rare diseases– it sounds reasonable somewhere down-the-line  to warrant compensation which could benefit anyone willing and able to participate. Plus again: giving away plasma involves less effort compared with losing full jars worth of red opaque blood.

The Verdict

In conclusion, Plasma donors get paid because it’s extremely important for making life-saving medicines, it’s quicker than donating whole blood and often there is a shortage of plasma available globally compared to the abundance wealthy-lifestyle donations of that red stuff.

So next time you find yourself in need of medical treatment involving plasma protein therapies– rest assured- you have at least some form of compensation awaiting!

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