How Many Times A Week Can You Donate Plasma
If youve donated blood in the past, you know that you can only do so once every 56 days. However, plasma donations can be performed more frequently.
According to the American Red Cross, an individual can donate plasma once every 28 days. However, private plasma collection companies allow donations twice a week since the body can replenish plasma 48 hours after the extraction.
Fact Check: Does Red Cross Really Spend Only 9% Of Its Money On Charity
The claim: American Red Cross pays its CEO nearly $652,000 while spending $0.09 of every dollar it collects on people in need.
The claim has been floating around on social media and in forwarded emails for years, but it recently started gaining traction again on Facebook.
The viral post, shared in April 2018 by Mike Totman, shows a woman who is identified as Marsha Evans and says she is the president and CEO of the American Red Cross. It goes on to state her alleged salary and explain how the nonprofit spends its money.
This is not true.
Evans left the nonprofit in 2005. Gail McGovern is the Red Cross current CEO. Shes led the nonprofit since 2008. Her annual salary in 2018 was $694,000.
USA TODAY has reached out to Totman for comment.
Tips For Making More By Donating Blood Plasma
Although some centers will let donors give their blood plasma twice a week, this is only allowed if you remain in good health as determined by the clinic.
The thing is, if your iron gets too low from giving away your blood, you start feeling sick after donations, or you tend to eat unhealthy meals the majority of the time, youre probably not going to be able to keep donating on a regular basis to maximize your income.
This is one of those things where it truly pays to be healthy .
If you remain in good shape and your body seems to bounce back quickly after donations, you should be able to stick to the twice-weekly schedule.
However, testing could determine that your iron levels drop dangerously low, which will prevent you from continuing to donate as often .
Here are a few things you should do to make sure you can keep donating regularly:
See a Primary Care Physician Regularly
Your primary care physician gets a full picture of your health because youll see them at least once a year for a full workup, which usually includes blood work.
Having a PCP really helps pinpoint any issues youre currently having or might have in the future.
If your doctor does see anything wrong, they might put you on medication to help or offer advice for tweaking your diet or exercise routines to assist naturally.
Either way, regular visits can make sure everything is on track with your body, which might help you be your healthiest self for donating blood plasma.
Enrich Your Diet with Iron
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New York Blood Center
If youre a New York resident, you can check out New York Blood Center for possible plasma donations.
You can only donate plasma once every 28 days here.
The company also doesnt pay directly for donations, but it does have a Donor Advantage program that lets you earn points with each donation.
You can save up your points to use for gift cards or other items.
Do You Get Paid Every Time You Donate Plasma
Not all plasma donors get paid. If you go to the American Red Cross, the agency wont pay you, but you can find private companies that compensate plasma donors.
The explanation behind the distinction is ethical. Plasma from the American Red Cross is usually used for hospital patient transfusions. Meanwhile, private companies break down the plasma into different components for pharmaceutical use.
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What Do Phlebotomists Do
Phlebotomists are responsible for collecting blood, urine, and other samples, appropriately packaging them, and preparing them to be sent for off-site or on-site analysis as indicated by the requisition. Due to the nature of phlebotomists’ jobs, an ability to read and follow careful directions is imperative in order to ensure the safety and accuracy of patients’ specimen collection and test results. Data entry skills and basic knowledge of medical software are an added bonus as patient andRead more
How Does Plasma Donation Work
The process to donate plasma is different than donating blood.
With blood, you donate through a needle inserted into your vein that draws the blood out.
Plasma, however, is donated through a procedure called plasmapheresis.
Donation centers use special machines to complete the process, which help to separate the plasma from the other components: the white and red blood cells.
Youll still have blood removed from your arm with a needle, but the line from the needle will be hooked up the machine.
Youll have to remain hooked up until the process is complete, which takes between 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the center.
Fortunately, most centers let you lay down, bring a book or headphones, and do whatever you need to feel comfortable during the process.
Each time you prepare to donate, youll likely need to fill out a health questionnaire to make sure youre in optimal health to donate.
A nurse may check your vitals and will likely draw a small blood sample during this screening process.
If its your first donation, you may need a more involved physical exam.
Non-first-time donors may still need to have a physical every year to continue to donate.
As long as your health meets the centers standards, youll head back to the donation area to being plasmapheresis.
Youll likely have to remain at the center for a short time after the process is complete to make sure you dont get sick or dizzy.
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What Do You Need To Bring To Your First Plasma Donation
Every center will have its checklist for plasma donation. However, the requirements for first-time donors are pretty much the same. Youll need to bring the following:
- A valid identification issued by the government like a drivers license or military ID
- Proof of your social security number
- Proof of residence like a utility bill, lease contract, or mail postmarked within 60 days
Are There Any Risks Involved
Donating plasma carries many of the same side effects of donating blood.
But, since its a longer process, the side effects can be more profound in some individuals.
Most people are completely fine after they donate, and the process, in general, is very safe.
However, some side effects that may occur include:
More serious side effects are extremely rare, but can happen.
These include seizures, numbness in the limbs, and severe stomach cramping.
If any of these occur after your donation, contact the donation center immediately.
It will assist you in the best course of action.
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Want To Donate For Free
Of course, you can still always donate for free if you want to do your good deed for the day!
The Red Cross accepts plasma donations, but you can only donate once every 28 days.
Their donation process typically takes about an hour and 15 minutes.
The Red Cross especially looks for people with type AB blood, since their plasma is universal and its a rare blood type.
So, if you have AB blood, your plasma is like gold to people in need.
Have you donated plasma for money? Where did you go and how much did you make?
Sound off in the comments!
Search For A Center Near You
If youre having trouble locating any of these donation centers near you, you can check out DonatingPlasma.org to search for centers.
This is also an excellent resource to learn more about the process and who can benefit from your plasma!
You can also always do a good old-fashioned Google search, which should bring up some results quickly if you use the right search terms.
Be sure to indicate that you want to find a donation center that pays to narrow your results.
For example, you might Google, plasma donation Houston get paid if you live in or near Houston, Texas.
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How Much Do You Get Paid To Donate Plasma At Biolife
Each plasma collection center sets its own pay chart and compensation rates. Even within a company like BioLife, the rates depend on the particular center. However, according to previous and current donors, compensation can range from $30 to $50. Because of promotions, some plasma donors earn as much as $900 a month.
Donating Plasma To Biolife
BioLife is one of the most well-known and respected plasma donation centers, so I chose to go a bit more in-depth with this one.
BioLife is a certified International Quality Plasma Program center.
Those in the IQPP meet the highest quality standards and must receive routine assessments to ensure that theyre continuing to meet those standards.
The company has several centers throughout Austria and the United States.
You can find a center location near you using its websites.
One of the best things about BioLife centers is their dedicated playrooms for young children.
If you want to donate but dont want to pay a babysitter, bring your child along to get supervised by staff while you donate! Its available for kids 6 months to 12 years.
You can set up an appointment for your donation by calling your nearest center or scheduling online.
It couldnt be easier.
You can even specify that youll need the playroom if you schedule online.
The process for donating plasma to BioLife is fairly streamlined.
Youll arrive to your appointment, sign in, and give all required information to staff .
The information is only necessary for your first donation or if theres been a long lapse in your donations.
Youll then take a computerized questionnaire before you can donate.
Its a simple health screening just to make sure you meet health requirements. All donors must complete this every time they donate.
A nurse will take your vitals each time you donate, too.
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How Do You Get Your Funds
Plasma donation centers used to pay donors in cash after a successful plasma donation.
Some still do.
But, most are switching over to a prepaid debit card.
This is great for donors because it loads your funds electronically right to your card.
No more worrying about losing your cash, and you can also use the card to pay your bills!
In most cases, your funds are loaded to the card immediately after you donate, so its a quick and simple process.
How Much Do You Get For Donating Plasma
Your compensation varies between centers.
But, on average, you can expect between $20 to $50 per donation.
Not bad, considering that it will take an hour and a half at the most.
Some centers have a flat rate for plasma donations, whereas others will pay more if theyre able to get more plasma from you.
Of course, this depends on your weight.
Those with higher weights can generally give more plasma, so they may get compensated a bit more from centers with this compensation model.
Many centers offer incentives to get more donations, like coupons for extra money for donations or prizes to encourage you to donate more.
To have the healthiest plasma, centers like to see their donors donate twice per week, so they do things like this to keep you coming in, especially if youre a perfect plasma donor candidate.
So, keep an eye out for things like this from different centers.
Just remember, youre better off sticking to one center, since you can only usually donate twice per week.
Youll likely earn more loyalty with a center by sticking with it and coming in frequently, which could even earn you a higher compensation.
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Why Do They Check Your Arms And Elbows When Donating Plasma
When you go to a collection center, the staff will conduct a thorough examination to ensure your viability as a donor and that nothing goes wrong during the process.
Examining your arms and elbows for bruising at the venipuncture site is a mandatory step. Although bruising during donation isnt normally a cause for concern, some people find it worrying.
Usually, bruising happens when donating plasma because the vein is pierced, and blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. Another possible reason is that some of the tiny, fragile blood vessels get injured upon insertion of the needle.
Who Is The Ceo Of The Red Cross
It goes on to state her alleged salary and explain how the nonprofit spends its money. This is not true. Evans left the nonprofit in 2005. Gail McGovern is the Red Cross current CEO. Shes led the nonprofit since 2008. Her annual salary in 2018 was $694,000. USA TODAY has reached out to Totman for comment.
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Does It Hurt Donating Plasma
Theres no need to worry about pain because donating plasma doesnt hurt. Donors should only feel a stinging sensation during the insertion of the needle for extraction, similar to what people experience during blood donation.
Most donors liken the experience of needle insertion to a bee sting. But, after that, you wont feel any pain or discomfort. Furthermore, employees of donation centers are trained to assist donors and make them as comfortable as possible throughout the process.
How Long Does It Take To Donate Plasma
Plasma donation usually takes from one to three hours to complete, depending on the screening process of the donation center. People who repeatedly donate attest that it takes them between 45 and 90 minutes.
For first-time donors, the process takes longer because of the medical screening and testing required. Plasma donation is much more extensive than blood donation. Collection centers separate the plasma component during blood extraction and return the blood cells to the donor.
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Can I Donate Plasma For Money
Plasma transfusions have paved the way for life-saving therapies. These procedures benefit thousands of patients with rare diseases like immunodeficiency disorders.
The American Red Cross states that blood and plasma donations are made out of goodwill. As such, the organization doesnt compensate donors. However, the scarcity of plasma gave birth to many plasma collection centers willing to pay donors a substantial amount.
You can type highest-paying plasma donation center near me in your search engine and see what pops out. However, if you are considering it as a way to supplement your current income, here are some things you need to know before you commit.
How Much Money Does The Red Cross Spend On Programs
The most recent data for the Red Cross comes from its fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. It reported spending 88% of its $3 billion budget on program services.. Most of that money, about $1.74 billion, went to what the Red Cross labeled “biomedical services.”. Thats the part of the charity that collects donated blood …
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What Disqualifies You From Donating Plasma
The most common reason to prevent someone from donating is illness or medical conditions like hepatitis and HIV. The virus can be carried in the plasma and transmitted to patients during transfusion. It would also make the donation nonviable for pharmaceutical use.
Traveling is another reason. For example, individuals who recently visited specific areas with known outbreaks of illnesses from transmissible pathogens like Ebola or Zika virus wont be allowed to donate plasma.
Look For Donation Events In Your Community
Most blood donation events exist to get a big collection of blood built up in a short amount of time to serve those who need it.
However, its not totally out of the realm of possibility that your community might host a blood plasma donation event at some point, especially if you live in a large area with donation centers nearby.
You can check with local hospitals and urgent care clinics to see if anything like this might be going on in your area anytime soon.
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Red Cross Spends 92 Cents Of Every Dollar On Salaries
Summary of eRumor:
The Red Cross spends 92 percent of donations on salaries and other administrative expenses.
The Truth:
Theres no basis for the claim that the American Red Cross keeps 92 cents of every dollar donated. Legitimate questions have been raised, however, about how the organization uses donations, and how it reports its spending.The American Red Cross has often stated that it spends 91 cents of every dollar on programming. Charity Navigator, an independent website that rates thousands of charities, largely back s that up. It reports that the Red Cross spends about 90 cents of every dollar on programming. Less than 10 cents goes to administrative costs.
With respect to program costs, ARC does not track costs on a project by project basis instead it uses a complex, yet inaccurate, process to track its spending. According to ARC, it separates projects by sector, weighs each sectors spending against the others, and based upon that comparison, it estimates its own program costs. Thus, a $30 million grant to a partner, once weighted, may end up costing $32 million, but not even ARC is sure of the actual cost. Therefore, ARC is unable to inform Congress, or the public, of the exact cost of each project that it funded with donor dollars. ARC defends its lack of precision by relying on non-profit accounting standards, which allow for the use of estimates rather than actual numbers.
How The American Red Cross Spends Your Donations
Donors want to know how much of their donation goes to the humanitarian services and programs the Red Cross provides, and how much goes to our costs for fundraising and management and general.
In FY17, the Red Cross devoted 89.1 percent of its total spending to mission-related programs. This is calculated by comparing program spending of $2.537 billion to total expenses of $2.846 billion.
While the ratio of program spending to overall expenses including fundraising, management and general varies slightly from year to year, over time an average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs.
Here is the breakdown of how we invested in humanitarian services and programs in FY17 from our audited financial statements:
* $1.832 billion Collect, test, manufacture and distribute approximately 6.8 million blood products
* $372.1 million Respond to disasters, nearly 64,000 per year
* $69.3 million Provide nearly 391,000 emergency services to our armed forces and their families
* $139.3 million Deliver preparedness, health and safety courses like First Aid and CPR
* $99.8 million Fund international relief programs
* $25.4 million Fund community services
We post our independently audited financial statements and our Form 990 tax return on our website in their entirety. In addition, we are accredited by the Better Business Bureaus Wise Giving Alliance.
About the American Red Cross:
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