Why do people give plasma?
People give plasma for different reasons. One reason is that it helps save lives. For many people with rare diseases and chronic conditions, plasma-based therapies are the only way to treat their condition or disease. Plasma is also given to trauma patients and burn victims to help with blood clotting and to boost their blood volume, which can prevent and treat shock.
How is my plasma used?
When you give your plasma, it is combined with plasma donated by thousands of other people. The proteins in plasma are extracted and become therapies and medications to treat these conditions. It takes many people giving plasma to extend the life of a single person with a rare condition.
Did you know?
- 130 plasma donations will treat 1 person with primary immunodeficiency for 1 year. 1
- 465 plasma donations will treat someone with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy treatment for 1 year. 2
- 900 donations will treat 1 person with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency for 1 year. 1
- 1,200 plasma donations will treat someone with hemophilia for 1 year. 1
Some of the therapies created using plasma restore healthy proteins and treat people with bleeding, clotting, lung, autoimmune, genetic, and other conditions, such as:
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Von Willebrand disease
- Antithrombin III deficiency
- Kawasaki disease
- Hereditary angioedema
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
- Immune deficiency
- Diseases of the nervous system, such as polyneuropathies and myasthenia gravis
Source plasma is also used for:
- Tetanus treatment. People who have received a tetanus vaccine carry antibodies in their plasma that can help others. These antibodies, found in plasma, can be given to infected patients as a lifesaving treatment. In some cases, it is the only treatment option for this debilitating infection.
- Rabies treatment. Antibody infusions are one of the treatments available for people with rabies infection. When people who are immunized against rabies give plasma, their antibodies can be used to develop immunotherapies for rabies and many other kinds of infections.
- Pregnant people. Pregnant people with a particular condition called Rh sensitization need plasma protein therapies to protect their baby. The antibodies in these therapies can prevent severe pregnancy consequences associated with the condition, including fetal brain damage and death
Citations:
- Liebe, R. (2020, January 23). Plasma. Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA). Retrieved July 25, 2022, from https://www.pptaglobal.org/plasma
- Lewis, R. A. (2020, November). Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). Grifols Plasma. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://www.grifols.com/documents/3625622/3761481/Infogr_CIDP_ENG.pdf/897d6f80-4ce9-096c-b132-d709d6f88553?t=1646663799754