(Belga) Since Monday, it is no longer necessary to make a first blood donation before being able to donate plasma, the Belgian Red Cross reported on Tuesday. Anyone wishing to make such a donation can therefore make an appointment directly at one of the NGO’s collection centres.
Previously, and unlike neighboring countries, it was imperative to have made at least one blood donation before being able to donate plasma. A procedure that has been modified on the basis of various studies. “The donation of plasma is a small gesture that makes a big difference for many patients suffering from an immune defense disorder. Plasma is essential and offers the one and only possibility of having a normal life”, recalls the Red Cross from Belgium. This plasma is the only possible source to produce the essential drugs for patients suffering from immune deficiency. And it takes up to 130 donors to treat an immuno-deficient person, illustrates the NGO. The plasma donation is a little longer (it lasts about 1h30 in total) but the quantity of plasma collected is greater: nearly three times greater than the quantity contained in a blood bag. It can also be given more often (every 15 days) because it does not cause temporary post-donation fatigue due to the automatic return of red blood cells. (Belga)
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