International BioResources

Plasmapheresis is the process of removing whole blood and separating red blood cells from plasma. The red blood cells are returned to the donor and the plasma is retained for use in preparing medicinal products.

Anyone at least 18 to 69 years of age and who weighs at least 110 pounds can donate plasma. All individuals who donate plasma must pass a brief medical examination, extensive medical history screening, and testing for diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.

Your first visit will consist of a health check and plenty of medical history and behavior questions. Your plasma will have the following tests performed: Hepatitis B and C, AIDS, Syphilis, Protein levels, and Atypical red blood cell antibodies.

To ensure that the donor meets the medical health screening and testing requirements, the first visit takes about two hours. Subsequent visits take a little more than an hour.

The body replaces the donated plasma within 24 to 48 hours if the donor keeps a healthy diet with an adequate amount of fluids and proteins. A donor may donate a maximum of twice in a seven day period, but not more than every other day.

Donating plasma is similar to donating a unit of whole blood. A needle is placed in the vein of an arm and blood is collected in sterile equipment. The plasma is separated from the red blood cells. The red blood cells are returned to the donor.

NO. Plasma donations are made in a highly controlled, aseptic environment by professionally trained staff. All plasma collection equipment is sterilized and equipment that comes in contact with the donor’s blood or plasma is used only once; eliminating the possibility of transmitting any viral infection.

To guarantee a safe and adequate supply of donors, the industry developed a system of donor compensation which recognizes the substantial commitment of personal time and effort required from donors. Donors at an International BioResources Plasma Center receive appropriate compensation, and may receive additional compensation for frequent donations and referring friends and family.

Over a million hospital and home care patients use plasma therapies each year. The listed products represent only a portion of the products manufactured from plasma.

Albumin—120,000 burn victims per year rely on the use of Albumin and 200,000 heart surgery patients receive Albumin for fluid replacement. Generally, Albumin is used as a body fluid replacement. Albumin is also often used as an ingredient in the manufacture of many biotechnology products.

AHF—Antihemophilic Factor is used in the treatment of bleeding disorders. There are approximately 420,000 individuals with hemophilia worldwide.

Immune Globulin—The major globulin product is Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG), which is used to treat individuals exposed to infectious disease when no vaccine is available. Immune Globulin products are also used in the treatment of hepatitis, measles, rabies, rubella, tetanus, smallpox and chicken pox. In addition, several hundred infant deaths are prevented annually through the use of Rh Immune Globulin prepared from plasma.

Plasma Protein Factor — Is another product prescribed for the restoration of plasma volume subsequent to shock, trauma, surgery and burns.