Blood money
Kerry Binkley
Issue date: 1/27/05 Section: TruLife
Students can earn money by doing nothing more than bleeding.
Donating plasma can bring in an income of as much as $40 per week.
James Lofton, assistant manager at plasma donation center BioLife, said there is a great need for plasma to manufacture numerous medications for people with blood diseases such as hemophilia. He said the average hemophiliac uses up to seven or eight doses per day, and each dose of medication requires 12 to 15 plasma donations.
"Some people have painful diseases and couldn't survive without medication," Lofton said. "The medications we provide give these people a quality of life no different than you or I."
According to the Web site www.biolifeplasma.com, hospitals and emergency rooms use albumin, which comes from plasma, to treat shock and severe burns.
Lofton said donor risks are minimal, and the procedure is similar to blood donation except that during plasma donation, red blood cells are pumped back into the donor.
"A misconception is that we pay people for their plasma," Lofton said. "We compensate them for their time spent in the center. Everyone gets paid the same."
According to the Web site, donors can expect to give their medical history, receive a physical and have their blood tested before they donate plasma, which can take one to two hours.
Before donating, people should drink plenty of fluids, avoid fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol, as well as get plenty of rest.
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Donating plasma can bring in an income of as much as $40 per week.
James Lofton, assistant manager at plasma donation center BioLife, said there is a great need for plasma to manufacture numerous medications for people with blood diseases such as hemophilia. He said the average hemophiliac uses up to seven or eight doses per day, and each dose of medication requires 12 to 15 plasma donations.
"Some people have painful diseases and couldn't survive without medication," Lofton said. "The medications we provide give these people a quality of life no different than you or I."
According to the Web site www.biolifeplasma.com, hospitals and emergency rooms use albumin, which comes from plasma, to treat shock and severe burns.
Lofton said donor risks are minimal, and the procedure is similar to blood donation except that during plasma donation, red blood cells are pumped back into the donor.
"A misconception is that we pay people for their plasma," Lofton said. "We compensate them for their time spent in the center. Everyone gets paid the same."
According to the Web site, donors can expect to give their medical history, receive a physical and have their blood tested before they donate plasma, which can take one to two hours.
Before donating, people should drink plenty of fluids, avoid fatty foods, caffeine and alcohol, as well as get plenty of rest.