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The yellow fluid is packed with infection-fighting antibodies. It is used to make vital medicines called immunoglobulins that are given to around 17,000 patients each year.
Until now, plasma leftover from blood transfusions — after red blood cells have been filtered out — could not be used to make the treatments.
It meant the UK relied on supplies from overseas, which proved difficult to source during the pandemic.
However, thanks to a rule change, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) will now collect around 250,000 litres of plasma from one million blood donations annually, significantly boosting British supplies.
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Faulty
Gerry Gogarty, NHSBT lead for plasma for medicines, said: “Your blood is mostly made up of plasma and it contains the antibodies which fight infections. Those antibodies can save the lives of people with faulty immune systems.
Immunoglobulin helped save my family
Kes Earl
“By recovering plasma from blood donations, we can improve long-term supplies of immunoglobulin medicine, and each generous blood donation will go even further in helping to save lives.”
Plasma makes up around 55 per cent of blood and carries components including red blood cells and antibodies around the human body.
Immunoglobulin medicines contain concentrated antibodies and can boost an immune system or calm it down in cases where it is attacking the patient’s own body.
Plasma donation also recently restarted following the lifting of a 20-year ban due to the risk of spreading VCJD — the human equivalent of mad cow disease.
Health chiefs are keen for the UK to build up domestic supply and are calling on members of the public to come forward to make a donation.
‘This is why I have two healthy boys’
Kes Earl’s newborn son Trevor was saved by immunoglobulin after the antibodies in her blood began destroying his platelets.
Trevor was born with the disorder neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and needed resuscitation at birth.
Kes, 24, said: “He was very sick and couldn’t even be held until he had immunoglobulins and selected platelets.”
Kes, from Tranmere, Merseyside, was treated with immunoglobulin herself during her second pregnancy, to stop the same thing happening to her younger son Wyatt, who also needed intensive care.
Kes added: “Immunoglobulin helped save my family. Plasma donation is the reason I have two healthy little boys.”
Find out more on donating and how plasma saves lives
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