Plasma constitutes approximately 55% of your blood volume and serves as the transportation medium for platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells throughout your body. This vital component is rich in antibodies, proteins, and other essential substances.
Learn more about what plasma is
What is plasma used for? Donated plasma at NHS Blood and Transplant for essential medicines
At NHS Blood and Transplant, donated plasma is crucial for creating unique, life-saving medications. These plasma-derived medicines are used to treat over 50 different diseases, often representing the only viable treatment option for individuals suffering from severe and life-threatening conditions. Annually, around 17,000 people in England depend on these essential medicines made from plasma.
The Broad Impact of Plasma Medicines
Plasma contains immunoglobulins, which are antibodies that can be processed into medicines. These immunoglobulin medicines are vital for treating individuals with compromised immune systems, often due to Primary Immune Disorders, which are rare genetic conditions.
Furthermore, plasma-derived immunoglobulin treatments extend to a wide range of other serious health issues, including heart conditions, various blood disorders, nervous system disorders, and infectious diseases.
Consider the impact of plasma donation on specific conditions: approximately 21 plasma donations are needed to produce enough medicine to protect a baby with Kawasaki disease from potentially life-threatening heart complications. For autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, a blood disorder where the immune system attacks healthy blood cells, around 50 plasma donations are required to treat one patient. Guillain Barre Syndrome, an acute nervous system disorder, may require 56 plasma donations per patient. In cases of toxic shock syndrome, a severe bacterial infection, up to 124 plasma donations can be necessary. For individuals with Primary Immune Disorders, up to 130 plasma donations may be needed annually to sustain their life.
These figures are based on average annual plasma requirements for each condition and highlight the significant need for plasma donations.
Beyond immunoglobulins, plasma also contains albumin, another essential protein. Albumin is processed into medicines used to treat a variety of critical conditions, including liver disease, kidney failure, sepsis, and major burns. These albumin-based treatments are essential for managing fluid balance, blood volume, and protein levels in patients with these severe illnesses.
