Plasma Donations
Thank you for your interest in donating plasma. The Central California Blood Center services 5 counties, over 20 hospitals, representing over 1.9 million people. The need for whole blood, platelets and plasma is ongoing and with the help of our generous community members like you, we can support those in need across the Central Valley. Together, Life Flows From Here.
Current and New Plasma Donors click below to start your donation Process!
What is plasma?
Plasma is the liquid portion of your blood. Plasma helps four vital functions in your body. Helping maintain blood pressure, supplies proteins for blood clotting, carries electrolytes to our muscles, and helps maintain proper pH balance in the body – supporting cell function.
Who it helps?
Patients require plasma transfusions for various reasons to survive. Over 6,500 units of plasma are used every day in the United States.
- Newborns
- Leukemia Patients
- Trauma Patients
- Burn & Shock Victims
- Patients with Bleeding Disorders
How long is the donation process?
1 – 1.5 hours for total visit.
Preferred blood types?
AB positive, AB negative, and A positive are ideal blood types for plasma donations.
Donation frequency?
Every 28 days.
Who is eligible to donate plasma?
Eligibility requirements for plasma donations are generally the same as those for whole blood donations.
If you meet the minimum requirements to donate whole blood, you should be eligible to donate plasma*.
*Women who have previously been pregnant may not be eligible to donate plasma. During pregnancy, some women can develop an antibody called human leukocyte antigens (HLA). These antigens are safe for mother and baby, but if they are transfused into a patient, it can sometimes cause the recipient to develop transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). It is a rare syndrome causing the lungs to begin to fail within the first 6 hours of receiving a blood transfusion. While most people recover from TRALI (after receiving care in the ICU), it is sometimes fatal and despite its rarity is still the number one cause of transfusion-related fatalities. Although the exact cause of TRALI is unknown, it is believed to be caused by certain antibodies in plasma products. This requires women who have previously been pregnant to undergo additional testing to check for these antibodies. Additional testing consists simply of an additional blood sample which can be drawn here at the Central California Blood Center. Results typically take 5 to 10 days. The safety of both our donors and our community is our number one priority, and we are proud to use best practices, such as this, to ensure the highest quality care possible.
Volunteer vs. paid plasma donation?
WHY IS ONE DONATION PAID AND THE OTHER NOT?
- WHEN YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR DONATION.
- Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that volunteer donation can be transfused to a patient. Volunteer plasma is manufactured into life sustaining transfusable blood products. The Central California Blood Center proudly manufactures 6 types of plasma for our local patients in our local hospitals. On average each year the Central California Blood Center produces over 40,000 lifesaving products from our loyal and dedicated donors.
- WHEN YOU RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR YOUR DONATION.
- Per the FDA those donations cannot be transfused into patients. Paid donations are used exclusively for further manufacturing into pharmaceutical products, therapies, or for research. Since these for-profit companies and their donation process are not under FDA guidelines for volunteer donations, their products cannot be transfused into patients who require plasma transfusion.
WHO WILL RECEIVE MY DONATION AND WHY IS VOLUNTEERED PLASMA DONATION IMPORTANT FOR MY COMMUNITY?
- WHEN YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR DONATION.
- When you donate with the Central California Blood Center your donation stays right here in our community. We serve five counties and over 20 hospitals, which represents over 1.9 million people. Your donation will help Valley patients in need of life sustaining transfusions. These patients include leukemia patients, burn victims, newborns, and trauma patients.
- WHEN YOU RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR YOUR DONATION.
- Most paid plasma donations are manufactured overseas to make injectable plasma products. These products are sold worldwide. Therefore, cannot be used for urgent plasma transfusion for our community.
