Donating blood and donating plasma differ in several key aspects. Blood donation involves giving whole blood, which is later separated into red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Plasma donation, on the other hand, specifically targets the liquid component of blood through a process called plasmapheresis, where only plasma is collected, and other blood components are returned to the donor. The entire duration of plasma donation visit to a plasma collection center is typically longer, taking about 1.5 - 3 hours depending on the center, compared to the 30-60 minutes for whole blood donation. Additionally, plasma donors can donate more frequently—up to twice in a seven day period (but not back-to-back days)—whereas whole blood donors must wait 8 weeks between donations.
A minority of blood banks might produce plasma from whole blood after the whole blood donation is finished (known as recovered plasma) instead of through the more efficient process of plasmapheresis. Recovered plasma is obtained as a byproduct when whole blood donations are processed and separated into components, including red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. This plasma is often used for transfusions or further processing into plasma-derived products.
Plasmapheresis, however, is a specialized procedure where only plasma is collected directly from the donor, and the remaining blood components are returned to the donor's body. This method allows for more frequent donations from a donor, is arguably less impactful to the donor's body because the donor's red blood cells are returned to the donor, yields a higher volume of plasma per donation, and creates greater quantities of plasma-derived therapies for patients. Plasmapheresis is primarily used to obtain plasma for manufacturing life-saving therapies for conditions such as immune deficiencies and clotting disorders. Plasma donations are critical for creating therapies used to treat various medical conditions, making them an essential part of the healthcare system.
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