janvier 5, 2021

The new year is a great time to start a brand new habit. Whether you’re looking to give back to others or supplement your income in 2021, plasma donation is a fulfilling process that allows for the possibility of both of these things. 

Want to learn more about what plasma donation entails? In today’s blog, we’ll be uncovering the basics of plasma donation and how you can become a donor at DB Plasma.

What Is Plasma?

Plasma is a yellowish liquid component of blood. It makes up more than half, about 55%, of your blood’s overall content. The main role of plasma is to carry nutrients, hormones, and proteins around the body.

What Is Plasma Used For?

Blood plasma contains important antibodies, clotting factors, and proteins that can be manufactured into life-saving treatments. Bleeding disorders and rare diseases that affect the immune system can be treated using plasma-derived therapies. Plasma is also commonly used to treat animal bites, burns, and pediatric HIV.

How Does the Plasma Donation Process Work?

The plasma donation process entails registering, screening, donating, and relaxing. Plasma donors are thoroughly screened and undergo regular health checks to ensure they are in good health and able to donate. Once eligibility has been established, plasma donors are intravenously connected to high-tech apheresis machines and undergo plasmapheresis.

Plasmapheresis is a method used to remove plasma from the body and separate it from other blood components that are subsequently returned to the bloodstream. This process takes roughly 50 minutes to complete. After donors have completed their plasma donation, they are encouraged to relax and enjoy refreshments.

Benefits of Donating Plasma

There are many benefits to donating plasma. Plasma donation is a generous act that can ultimately help save lives. It is a great way to contribute to the creation of life-saving therapies and the discovery of innovative new treatments. As a plasma donor at DB Plasma, you also get the opportunity to earn up to $90/week for your donations!

How to Become a Plasma Donor At DB Plasma

If you’re interested in becoming a plasma donor, visit the eligibility page on our website to find out if you meet the requirements needed to become a donor. If you think you’d be a good candidate, don’t hesitate to book an appointment at a centre near you. We’re always happy to take on new plasma donors!

Plasma donation is an incredible act that can change the lives of others for the better. With the new year upon us, now’s a good a time as ever to get involved in a good cause and start giving back!

janvier 5, 2021

The holiday season is all about the giving spirit. After everything we’ve gone through this past year, the importance of giving back has become more apparent than ever before. If you’re looking for a good cause to contribute to this holiday season, you should consider plasma donation!

Here are three reasons to donate plasma during the season of giving.

1. The Growing Demand for Plasma Donations

Blood plasma is used to treat several rare conditions, including Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases (PIDs) and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, just to name a few. The demand for this straw-coloured liquid portion of blood is only growing, and Canada is among the leading users of human plasma products in the world. Currently, we rely on paid plasma donations from the US to manufacture the majority of our nation’s plasma therapies.

By donating plasma at DB Plasma, you can help pharmaceutical manufacturers meet the growing demand for plasma products. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn up to $400/month for your donations.

2. Contributing to Convalescent Plasma Therapies

Canada began rolling out Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine last week, which was a moment we’ve all been waiting for since this pandemic began. While the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine does signal the beginning of the end, we still have many challenging months ahead of us. Convalescent plasma, the term used for plasma that is collected from an individual who has recovered from a virus, will likely still play a role in helping patients affected by COVID-19.

Since May, DB Plasma has been accepting convalescent plasma donations from COVID-19 survivors and testing all plasma donations for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Your plasma donations can help find a potential treatment for COVID-19.

3. Donating Plasma Is A Great Way to Give Back

Patients with immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases rely on the generosity of others to access the treatments they need. Remaining in good health is especially important for these patients during these uncertain times.

DB Plasma is the largest producer of normal and specialty human source plasma for further manufacturing in Canada. When you donate plasma at our centres, you can rest assured that your donations will be making a big difference in the lives of immunocompromised patients.

Plasma donation truly encompasses the spirit of the holidays. To help patients in need during the holiday season and get compensated for your contribution, book an appointment at a DB Plasma centre near you!

janvier 5, 2021

Donated plasma is used to create a variety of life-saving pharmaceutical products that treat patients with immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, and other ailments. The wide range of uses for this yellowish liquid component of blood is the reason it is often referred to as “liquid gold”. 

In today’s blog, we’ll be unpacking the three main medications that are manufactured from the plasma collected at our centres. Keep reading to find out what they are!

Plasma Product #1: Human Albumin

Albumin is a protein made by the liver that circulates in human plasma. It helps keep fluid in your bloodstream and carries substances including hormones, vitamins, and enzymes throughout your body.

Medicinal albumin, which is composed of plasma proteins from human blood, helps increase the volume of blood plasma. It can also replenish levels of albumin. Medicinal albumin is mainly used to treat or prevent shock that is brought on by severe burns, serious injury, bleeding, or surgery. Other ailments that albumin is capable of treating include abdominal infections, dialysis, liver failure, pancreatitis, and respiratory distress.

Plasma Product #2: Intratect

This brand of immunoglobulin G-prepared treatments is more commonly known as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common antibody in blood and other bodily fluids. It plays a vital role in protecting the body against bacterial and viral infections. During the Intratect manufacturing process, the functional activity of IgG is maintained and high standards of purity and viral safety are adhered to.

As with other IVIg therapies, Intratect is administered intravenously by a doctor or nurse. It is used in patients who do not have a sufficient amount of antibodies. This includes patients who are born with primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDDs) and those with secondary immunodeficiencies who suffer from severe and/or recurrent infections. Intratect can also be used to treat inflammatory disorders including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barre syndrome, Kawasaki disease, primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN).

Plasma Product #3: Haemoctin

Haemoctin is a plasma-derived medicine that contains the coagulation factor VIII. Coagulation factors are a group of related proteins that help the body form blood clots after injury, therefore preventing further blood loss. Coagulation factor VIII, which is mostly made by cells in the liver, plays an integral part in the blood clotting process.

Patients with haemophilia, an inherited genetic disorder that is characterized by an impaired ability to form blood clots, have either a mutated version of coagulation factor VIII or reduced amounts of this essential protein. Haemoctin can be used to treat and prevent bleeding in patients with haemophilia A.

Human plasma is capable of incredible things, and these products are just a few of the treatments that are manufactured from DB Plasma-collected plasma. To donate your plasma and contribute to the creation of life-changing plasma products, book your next appointment at DB Plasma today!

janvier 5, 2021

The debate around paid plasma donations is a long-standing one that people on both sides of the argument feel very strongly about. Despite the fact that remunerating donors has been proven to be the only way to ensure a secure supply of plasma, there is still uncertainty about the safety and morality of this practice. With plasma products manufactured from convalescent plasma now being trialled to treat COVID-19, it’s never been more important to prevent supply shortages from happening.

Here are three reasons why paid plasma donations should be made legal across Canada.  

1. The Growing Demand for Plasma Donations

Blood plasma, the protein-rich yellow liquid component of blood, has long been used to manufacture a wide range of life-saving therapies. The number of illnesses that can be treated using blood plasma is only increasing and the demand for blood plasma is growing at a rate of 6-10% per year globally. This does not include the demand that has come about as researchers have begun to explore the possibility of convalescent plasma being a viable treatment for COVID-19.

We cannot rely on voluntary, non-remunerated plasma donations alone to meet this growing demand.  The only way to provide immunocompromised patients with the plasma-derived products they rely on is to pay plasma donors.

2. Ensuring A Secure and Sufficient Supply of Plasma

In Canada, we currently import 80% of the plasma therapies we create from the plasma of American donors. In fact, the United States, a nation that permits paid plasma donations,  is responsible for 70% of the global plasma supply. When grouped with other countries that allow plasma donors to be compensated, including Austria, Czechia, Germany, and Hungary, 90% of the total supply of plasma can be accounted for. Clearly, paid plasma donations work.

If we allowed plasma donors to be remunerated across Canada and repealed the Voluntary Blood Donations Act in provinces where it has been enacted, we wouldn’t have to rely so heavily on the plasma of paid American donors. We’ve all witnessed the supply chain issues that have come about as a result of COVID-19, and these same interruptions could happen to the global supply of plasma at any time. This scenario would spell out a matter of life or death for patients who rely on plasma-derived products.

As it stands now, the majority of Canadian plasma donors are not compensated.

3. Paid Plasma Donations Are Both Safe and Ethical

Time and time again, paid plasma donations have been proven to be just as safe as unpaid donations. Health Canada has laid out strict regulatory requirements that plasma collectors must abide by and they oversee the safe collection of plasma. All donors are required to undergo rigorous screenings to ensure tainted blood supplies never make their way to patients who are receiving these life-saving therapies.   

Paid plasma donations are also ethical, as they incentivize rather than coerce donors to give plasma. By paying plasma donors, you increase the range of options available to them. A mutually beneficial situation in which donors are paid for their time and effort and patients are able to receive the treatments they rely on is also created when donors are compensated.

As of late, there has been some good news on the paid plasma donation front in Canada. The Alberta legislature has officially repealed the Voluntary Blood Donations Act, which means Albertans can now receive remuneration for their plasma donations! As long time proponents of this practice, we’re thrilled to see some progress being made. 

If you’d like to help create life-saving therapies for immunocompromised patients and get compensated for your contribution, book an appointment at a DB Plasma centre near you! 

janvier 5, 2021

Paid plasma donations are largely responsible for the creation of plasma therapies. In fact, compensated plasma accounts for 89% of all the world’s plasma that is used to manufacture plasma-derived products. It’s statistics like these that motivate us to continue to pave the way for paid plasma donations in Canada.

If you’re interested in learning how you can earn up to $4,680/year as a plasma donor at DB Plasma, keep reading to find out!

Donate Plasma Consistently

With our donor compensation program, donors get rewarded with more compensation the more they donate! All donors who give plasma at DB Plasma start at Orange level. At this level, donors earn $30 for their first donation of the week and $50 for their second donation of the week.

Donors who have given plasma twice per week for two consecutive weeks move on to Silver level. Silver level donors are eligible to receive $30 for their first donation of the week and $55 for their second donation of the week.

The highest level donors can reach is Gold level. Donors attain this status after they’ve given plasma twice per week for two more consecutive weeks (following the initial two consecutive weeks). These two weeks of consecutive donations do not need to occur back to back. Gold level donors are eligible to receive $30 for their first donation of the week and $60 for their second donation of the week!

Refer a Friend

Another great way to earn additional compensation is by referring a friend or family member to donate plasma! Donors who refer a friend or family member to donate plasma are eligible to receive a $25 bonus so long as the referee follows through on the donation. Here’s how the donor referral process works:

1. Send a text message, WhatsApp message, Facebook message, Instagram DM or Twitter DM to the person you’re referring.

2. Include your full name in the message

3. Have the referee show the message to our reception staff after they donate.

We’re also offering referees the opportunity to earn a one time $50 bonus if they start donating by November 29^th!

Participate in Events

At DB Plasma, we regularly hold events that give donors the opportunity to earn a monetary bonus if they meet certain donation criteria. To make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities to earn additional compensation, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and keep an eye out for our announcements!

We’ve seen firsthand just how beneficial paying plasma donors can be for both donors and patients alike. To contribute to a good cause and make money all the while, book your next plasma donation appointment!

janvier 5, 2021

Plasma donation is an incredible process that is responsible for the creation of several life-altering therapies. Millions of people around the world donate plasma every year, and the highly controlled, clinical environments where plasma donations take place are required to abide by strict regulatory requirements to keep donors safe. That being said, there are new safety concerns that have arisen for plasma donors since the arrival of COVID-19.

At DB Plasma, we’ve continually revised our precautionary measures to reflect the current status of COVID-19. Without further ado, here’s how we’ve altered the plasma donation process at our centres to keep donors safe during this unprecedented time.

Step 1: Registering

The registration portion of the donation process is where we confirm the eligibility of new donors and perform preliminary health checks. For first-time plasma donors, the registration process typically takes 25 minutes, and during this time they:

·  Present valid identification

·  Complete a questionnaire

·  Review educational material

·  Review the consent form

·  Undergo preliminary blood pressure and temperature checks

This process gets easier and faster for return donors, who usually only spend 10 minutes in registration. To minimize contact between donors and staff and ensure safe physical distancing, we’ve put plexiglass barriers at our reception desks and asked donors not to enter our centres more than five minutes before their appointment time. We’ve also increased the frequency with which we clean donor folders and our staff now wear gloves at all times.

Step 2: Screening

To ensure donors are in good health and eligible to give plasma, all of our donors undergo a screening prior to donating. Similarly to the registration process, first-time donors spend approximately 25 minutes being screened while return donors spend roughly 10 minutes being screened. Donors undergo a physical examination, review registration information with a medical professional, participate in a question and answer session, and confirm consent when being screened.

All of our screening staff are required to wear masks during this stage of the plasma donation process. They also diligently clean all of the equipment in our screening rooms after every screening.

Step 3: Donating Plasma

Once a donor has been given the green light to donate, they are escorted to a donor bed, prepped for donation, and connected to an apheresis machine. All of the beds in our donation halls are spread apart so that donors can safely give plasma six feet away from one another. During the venipuncture procedure, where staff access a donor’s vein in order to subsequently extract plasma via plasmapheresis, donors are asked to breathe away from staff members to avoid close contact. We’ve also asked our donors to refrain from walking around, speaking with other donors, and talking on their phones when they are in our donation halls.

Donors are continuously monitored by staff during plasmapheresis to ensure everything is going smoothly. When they are finished with plasmapheresis, which usually takes 50 minutes to complete, the beds and apheresis machines that were used are thoroughly cleaned.

Step 4: Relaxing

The last part of the plasma donation process involves relaxing, enjoying snacks and refreshments in our waiting rooms, and scheduling your next appointment. To minimize contact, we’ve moved all snacks behind our reception desks. Donors now have to ask reception staff for snacks and refreshments.

All seating in our waiting rooms has been set up for physical distancing. We’ve added signage to split up our waiting rooms and minimize the amount of cross traffic. One side is now designated for donors who have just been registered while the other side is for donors who have just finished donating or are waiting to donate.

Keeping our donors and staff safe has always been our top priority at DB Plasma, and we will continue to do everything in our power to make everyone feel comfortable. Giving plasma is more important now than ever before, and together we can help provide vulnerable patients with the treatments they need. Book your next appointment today! 

janvier 4, 2021

The new year is a great time to start a brand new habit. Whether you’re looking to give back to others or supplement your income in 2021, plasma donation is a fulfilling process that allows for the possibility of both of these things. 

Want to learn more about what plasma donation entails? In today’s blog, we’ll be uncovering the basics of plasma donation and how you can become a donor at DB Plasma.

What Is Plasma?

Plasma is a yellowish liquid component of blood. It makes up more than half, about 55%, of your blood’s overall content. The main role of plasma is to carry nutrients, hormones, and proteins around the body.

What Is Plasma Used For?

Blood plasma contains important antibodies, clotting factors, and proteins that can be manufactured into life-saving treatments. Bleeding disorders and rare diseases that affect the immune system can be treated using plasma-derived therapies. Plasma is also commonly used to treat animal bites, burns, and pediatric HIV.

How Does the Plasma Donation Process Work?

The plasma donation process entails registering, screening, donating, and relaxing. Plasma donors are thoroughly screened and undergo regular health checks to ensure they are in good health and able to donate. Once eligibility has been established, plasma donors are intravenously connected to high-tech apheresis machines and undergo plasmapheresis.

Plasmapheresis is a method used to remove plasma from the body and separate it from other blood components that are subsequently returned to the bloodstream. This process takes roughly 50 minutes to complete. After donors have completed their plasma donation, they are encouraged to relax and enjoy refreshments.

Benefits of Donating Plasma

There are many benefits to donating plasma. Plasma donation is a generous act that can ultimately help save lives. It is a great way to contribute to the creation of life-saving therapies and the discovery of innovative new treatments. As a plasma donor at DB Plasma, you also get the opportunity to earn up to $90/week for your donations!

How to Become a Plasma Donor At DB Plasma

If you’re interested in becoming a plasma donor, visit the eligibility page on our website to find out if you meet the requirements needed to become a donor. If you think you’d be a good candidate, don’t hesitate to book an appointment at a centre near you. We’re always happy to take on new plasma donors!

Plasma donation is an incredible act that can change the lives of others for the better. With the new year upon us, now’s a good a time as ever to get involved in a good cause and start giving back!

janvier 4, 2021

The holiday season is all about the giving spirit. After everything we’ve gone through this past year, the importance of giving back has become more apparent than ever before. If you’re looking for a good cause to contribute to this holiday season, you should consider plasma donation!

Here are three reasons to donate plasma during the season of giving.

1. The Growing Demand for Plasma Donations

Blood plasma is used to treat several rare conditions, including Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases (PIDs) and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, just to name a few. The demand for this straw-coloured liquid portion of blood is only growing, and Canada is among the leading users of human plasma products in the world. Currently, we rely on paid plasma donations from the US to manufacture the majority of our nation’s plasma therapies.

By donating plasma at DB Plasma, you can help pharmaceutical manufacturers meet the growing demand for plasma products. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn up to $400/month for your donations.

2. Contributing to Convalescent Plasma Therapies

Canada began rolling out Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine last week, which was a moment we’ve all been waiting for since this pandemic began. While the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine does signal the beginning of the end, we still have many challenging months ahead of us. Convalescent plasma, the term used for plasma that is collected from an individual who has recovered from a virus, will likely still play a role in helping patients affected by COVID-19.

Since May, DB Plasma has been accepting convalescent plasma donations from COVID-19 survivors and testing all plasma donations for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Your plasma donations can help find a potential treatment for COVID-19.

3. Donating Plasma Is A Great Way to Give Back

Patients with immune deficiencies and autoimmune diseases rely on the generosity of others to access the treatments they need. Remaining in good health is especially important for these patients during these uncertain times.

DB Plasma is the largest producer of normal and specialty human source plasma for further manufacturing in Canada. When you donate plasma at our centres, you can rest assured that your donations will be making a big difference in the lives of immunocompromised patients.

Plasma donation truly encompasses the spirit of the holidays. To help patients in need during the holiday season and get compensated for your contribution, book an appointment at a DB Plasma centre near you!

janvier 4, 2021

Donated plasma is used to create a variety of life-saving pharmaceutical products that treat patients with immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, and other ailments. The wide range of uses for this yellowish liquid component of blood is the reason it is often referred to as “liquid gold”. 

In today’s blog, we’ll be unpacking the three main medications that are manufactured from the plasma collected at our centres. Keep reading to find out what they are!

Plasma Product #1: Human Albumin

Albumin is a protein made by the liver that circulates in human plasma. It helps keep fluid in your bloodstream and carries substances including hormones, vitamins, and enzymes throughout your body.

Medicinal albumin, which is composed of plasma proteins from human blood, helps increase the volume of blood plasma. It can also replenish levels of albumin. Medicinal albumin is mainly used to treat or prevent shock that is brought on by severe burns, serious injury, bleeding, or surgery. Other ailments that albumin is capable of treating include abdominal infections, dialysis, liver failure, pancreatitis, and respiratory distress.

Plasma Product #2: Intratect

This brand of immunoglobulin G-prepared treatments is more commonly known as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common antibody in blood and other bodily fluids. It plays a vital role in protecting the body against bacterial and viral infections. During the Intratect manufacturing process, the functional activity of IgG is maintained and high standards of purity and viral safety are adhered to.

As with other IVIg therapies, Intratect is administered intravenously by a doctor or nurse. It is used in patients who do not have a sufficient amount of antibodies. This includes patients who are born with primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDDs) and those with secondary immunodeficiencies who suffer from severe and/or recurrent infections. Intratect can also be used to treat inflammatory disorders including chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), Guillain-Barre syndrome, Kawasaki disease, primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN).

Plasma Product #3: Haemoctin

Haemoctin is a plasma-derived medicine that contains the coagulation factor VIII. Coagulation factors are a group of related proteins that help the body form blood clots after injury, therefore preventing further blood loss. Coagulation factor VIII, which is mostly made by cells in the liver, plays an integral part in the blood clotting process.

Patients with haemophilia, an inherited genetic disorder that is characterized by an impaired ability to form blood clots, have either a mutated version of coagulation factor VIII or reduced amounts of this essential protein. Haemoctin can be used to treat and prevent bleeding in patients with haemophilia A.

Human plasma is capable of incredible things, and these products are just a few of the treatments that are manufactured from DB Plasma-collected plasma. To donate your plasma and contribute to the creation of life-changing plasma products, book your next appointment at DB Plasma today!

janvier 4, 2021

The debate around paid plasma donations is a long-standing one that people on both sides of the argument feel very strongly about. Despite the fact that remunerating donors has been proven to be the only way to ensure a secure supply of plasma, there is still uncertainty about the safety and morality of this practice. With plasma products manufactured from convalescent plasma now being trialled to treat COVID-19, it’s never been more important to prevent supply shortages from happening.

Here are three reasons why paid plasma donations should be made legal across Canada.  

1. The Growing Demand for Plasma Donations

Blood plasma, the protein-rich yellow liquid component of blood, has long been used to manufacture a wide range of life-saving therapies. The number of illnesses that can be treated using blood plasma is only increasing and the demand for blood plasma is growing at a rate of 6-10% per year globally. This does not include the demand that has come about as researchers have begun to explore the possibility of convalescent plasma being a viable treatment for COVID-19.

We cannot rely on voluntary, non-remunerated plasma donations alone to meet this growing demand.  The only way to provide immunocompromised patients with the plasma-derived products they rely on is to pay plasma donors.

2. Ensuring A Secure and Sufficient Supply of Plasma

In Canada, we currently import 80% of the plasma therapies we create from the plasma of American donors. In fact, the United States, a nation that permits paid plasma donations,  is responsible for 70% of the global plasma supply. When grouped with other countries that allow plasma donors to be compensated, including Austria, Czechia, Germany, and Hungary, 90% of the total supply of plasma can be accounted for. Clearly, paid plasma donations work.

If we allowed plasma donors to be remunerated across Canada and repealed the Voluntary Blood Donations Act in provinces where it has been enacted, we wouldn’t have to rely so heavily on the plasma of paid American donors. We’ve all witnessed the supply chain issues that have come about as a result of COVID-19, and these same interruptions could happen to the global supply of plasma at any time. This scenario would spell out a matter of life or death for patients who rely on plasma-derived products.

As it stands now, the majority of Canadian plasma donors are not compensated.

3. Paid Plasma Donations Are Both Safe and Ethical

Time and time again, paid plasma donations have been proven to be just as safe as unpaid donations. Health Canada has laid out strict regulatory requirements that plasma collectors must abide by and they oversee the safe collection of plasma. All donors are required to undergo rigorous screenings to ensure tainted blood supplies never make their way to patients who are receiving these life-saving therapies.   

Paid plasma donations are also ethical, as they incentivize rather than coerce donors to give plasma. By paying plasma donors, you increase the range of options available to them. A mutually beneficial situation in which donors are paid for their time and effort and patients are able to receive the treatments they rely on is also created when donors are compensated.

As of late, there has been some good news on the paid plasma donation front in Canada. The Alberta legislature has officially repealed the Voluntary Blood Donations Act, which means Albertans can now receive remuneration for their plasma donations! As long time proponents of this practice, we’re thrilled to see some progress being made. 

If you’d like to help create life-saving therapies for immunocompromised patients and get compensated for your contribution, book an appointment at a DB Plasma centre near you!