Fact or Fiction? Addressing Common Questions About Plasma Donation

1. What exactly is plasma? Plasma refers to the light-yellow fluid part of your blood. Consisting mostly of water but also carrying salts, enzymes, antibodies, and other essential proteins and nutrients, it plays a critical role in fighting diseases and healing from injuries. As the largest of the four important components of human blood, alongside white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, it makes up about 55% of the total blood.¹

    

2. How does donating plasma differ from donating blood? Plasma donation isn’t that different from whole blood donation, but there are key differences when it comes to what’s being collected, how long it takes to collect, and how frequently you can donate. When you donate blood, an entire bag of blood is given, including blood cells, platelets, and, yes, plasma. This takes about 10–15 minutes. When you donate plasma, only the plasma is collected. The rest of the blood components are safely returned to your body, which is why plasma donation typically takes at least two hours for new donors and about one hour for returning donors to complete a donation. 

    

   You can donate plasma more frequently than whole blood because plasma is about 90% water, and your body can replenish it faster than blood cells and platelets.²

    

3. Why is donating plasma important? Your plasma has the power to save lives! When donors complete a successful plasma donation, it amounts to an incredible gift for someone with a rare disease, health emergency, or bleeding disorder. And every donation is critical since it takes hundreds of plasma donations to create a treatment for a single patient.³

    

If you’re considering donating plasma, you probably have some questions around how the process works and whether you’re eligible. We’re here to separate fact from fiction and help you confidently decide whether you’re ready to make a donation – and a difference.

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