Eligibility Criteria for Plasma Donation

Plasma donation contributes to saving millions of lives. The plasma is utilized in treating people with rare and chronic diseases like genetic lung disorder, clotting disorders, immunodeficiency, hemophilia, cancer, and treating burn, and trauma victims. There are several plasma donation requirements and criteria involved. Everyone and anyone are not eligible to donate plasma. Depending on the health and fitness status of the donor, the final decision of donating plasma is made by a medical professional.

General criteria

The safety of the donor and the safety of the therapies involved from the donation are given priorities. One has to visit the plasma collection center to determine whether one is eligible for donation or not. Some general criteria necessary are as follows:

  • The plasma donors must be a minimum of 18 years old
  • The weight of the donor should be a minimum of 50 kilograms
  • He/she has to be ready to undergo compulsory medical examinations and tests
  • The donor must complete an extensive medical history screening
  • The plasma must follow a stringent diet of 50 grams to 80 grams of protein daily
  • He/she must test non-reactive for certain viruses like HIV, hepatitis, and other transmissible diseases

Factors disqualifying plasma donation

Not everyone is eligible to donate plasma. The mentioned below factors are the most common ones that disqualify plasma donation.

  • Individuals who have cough, fever, and feeling sick must avoid donating plasma.
  • People undergoing treatments and undertaking antibiotics for active infections are not eligible for plasma donation.
  • Individuals who are seeking medical treatments and undergoing procedures like surgeries, blood transfusions, etc., cannot engage in plasma donation. It is better to consult the doctor before donating if one has recently undergone any such procedure.
  • Low hemoglobin or low iron can also disqualify a person from donating plasma.
  • If the donor has a recent travel history to certain regions of the world with Ebola or Zika virus, he/she automatically gets disqualified from donating.

The above-mentioned are some of the few criteria that disqualify a man or a woman from plasma donation. If one seeks to know the full list of plasma donation requirements and eligibility criteria, he/she can check the American Red Cross website.

Frequency of plasma donation

If one is considering plasma donation via the American Red Cross, he/she is eligible once every 28 days or a maximum of 13 times in a year. The private plasma donation centers allow volunteers to donate multiple times a week. Plasma donation has become a lucrative way of making money and financial incentives for many.

Pre-plasma donation requisites

Before donating plasma, the following requirements must be catered to.

  • Staying hydrated is vital hence drinking plenty of water is recommended
  • Notifying the plasma collection center of any recent surgery is important
  • Notifying the center about having any piercing or tattoo within the last 12 months
  • Pointing out intaking any medication

Conclusion

The need for plasma is of utmost importance. But it is important to ensure the safety and the quality of the therapies so that the patients receive treatment for their life-threatening conditions. Hence, stringent health screenings and strict plasma donation requirements are given so much importance.