Appeal for men between the ages of 17 and 66 to consider donating their blood plasma

The NHS Blood and Transplant service needs your help. In April, we began collecting blood plasma from donations to make vital antibody-based medicines and we urgently need more people to make donations.  These medicines – called immunoglobulins will help thousands of people with immune diseases.

NHS Blood and Transplant is asking for men between the ages of 17 and 66 to consider donating their blood plasma. Plasma is used to make antibody-based medicines called immunoglobulins, for people with weak immune systems and a variety of other rare disorders. Thousands of patients rely on immunoglobulin medicines for short-term treatment or lifelong diseases.

Men are more likely to have the blood plasma volumes and larger vein sizes making them ideal donors. Donating plasma take about 45 minutes and is completely safe. During the process the plasma is filtered out of circulating blood by an apheresis machine and the red blood cells are returned to the donor.

Further information

• By taking a few simple steps to help you will be making a real and lasting impact on the lives of so many patients. To find out more about blood plasma donation click here.
• There is a donor centre in Reading.
• To become a blood plasma donor, please call 0300 123 23 23.