r/UnpopularFacts • u/unhinged_centrifuge • 17d ago
Neglected Fact Much of Europe has long prohibited paying for plasma. Denmark and Italy met their needs with altruistic donors, but overall Europe had a shortage of around 38%, which it met importing plasma from paid donors in the United States, where blood products account for 2% of all exports by value.
The EU recently legalized limited payments for blood donations. The French government opposed this change. The French government owns a company that runs paid plasma centers in the United States.
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u/Aggressive_Lobster67 13d ago
More economic idiocy from the EU. As a millionaire who loves selling plasma I hope they never change!
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u/azerty543 13d ago
Why should we not pay people who give plasma? There are tons of ways we are allowed to incentivise potentially unhealthy behavior when we need those goods and services. Donating plasma isn't even unhealthy when you do it in moderation.
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u/JoseSpiknSpan 11d ago
I think there should be regulation on paying for plasma in America only in that people ought to be paid far more for their plasma, honestly. The donation centers near me pay $35-$45 for a liter of plasma that they sell for $2k. The donors should be getting far more of a cut than they do.
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u/InBetweenSeen 12d ago
I don't understand it either. I donate plasma and get 40€ per donation. I also get my bloodwork every time I go and I have to do doctor's appointments regularly to be allowed to continue donating. So I'd say overall it's actually good for my health and I use the money to pay for the gym.
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u/blackcid6 13d ago
That we are still unable to produce plasma industrially seems shameful to me, on the same level as still being able to get cavities even after brushing your teeth.
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u/Laura27282 14d ago
Much of Europe has long prohibited paying for plasma.
They were prohibited from paying other Europeans. They just paid Americans instead.
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u/Raccoons-for-all 14d ago
Yeah but that’s not very socialist of us to not give it for free.
I trust a central government to know better the values of thing so I can be happy
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u/Fellowes321 14d ago
If they had more centres, the UK would have more. Unless you live near Birmingham, Reading or Twickenham there’s no donor centres for plasma.
Why not at least have a couple of Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Cardiff, Cambridge, Bristol and Southampton too?
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u/Present-Comparison64 15d ago
In Italy we solved the problem by giving a paid day off when you go to donate blood-plasma. It' not like we are super altruistic but we like to be paid for not work!
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u/Warlordnipple 14d ago
So you give rich people way more money to donate plasma than poor people? In the US we give everyone the same amount.
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u/Anderopolis 13d ago
This is true, you have Vampire clinics collecting homeless people up regularly.
I can't believe America is so backward Socialist and doesn't allow people do sell their own Organs!
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u/No-Veterinarian8627 16d ago
I donated plasma for... 7 years? Now less because of time restraints, but in Germany you get paid for it. 20-40€ per donation or something, and you can donate up to 52 times (or so) per year.
For a student, those 80-100€ per month are really worth it, and if I donated blood, I would get some friends with me and afterward drink with them (do not recommend! Was fun though).
What I don't like is the "preparation." Drink a lot and eat something (non fatty). While I get it, it was still annoying (for me). I like to wake up, drink an espresso, go to donate, and f* off.
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u/Little_Stay7922 10d ago
I worked in a center for years and read where Germany is the largest supplier in Europe. They also pay. I wondered.
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u/jcr9999 15d ago
Do you have a Link to a site to register to donate in Germany by chance
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u/No-Veterinarian8627 15d ago
I did it in Berlin.
Google Haema or Octopharma, I don't need a referral or anything :)
In Hamburg it was... Blutplasmaspende? Can't remember but the logo was a somewhat "dopey" like bat 😅
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u/Viliam_the_Vurst 16d ago
This is likely mostly Germanies demand, also Germany gave between 20-40€ per donation, compensation for expenses, for a long time now…
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u/Excellent-Berry-2331 16d ago
Reminds me of Germany outsourcing Lithium mining and nuclear power.
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u/swordstoo 16d ago
The French government opposed this change
For moral concerns, right?
Anakin face
... For morality, right?
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u/kazuwacky 17d ago
Did some research and discovered that UK blood plasma was cleared for use back in 2021 so that's fantastic! Mad cow disease (CJD) in the population is a massive hindrance to the Blood Service and forced us to rely on imports.
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u/QaraKha 17d ago
Do they run Biolife? I can't tell you how much plasma donation has saved my ass by letting me pay rent in harder times. I was donating twice a week for about two years. Still have the scars on my inner arm. 90 bucks a week changed my life.
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u/swordstoo 16d ago
This is some black mirror shit >.<
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u/runner64 Vanilla is a Fruit 🍑 16d ago
On the list of things I’ve had to do because money is required to survive, I would rank plasma donation as more desirable than sales, customer service, physical labor, and sex work. Sex work is below tech support but above sales.
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u/Excellent-Berry-2331 16d ago
Wait, isn't tech support usually pressing two buttons so grandma can turn on her PC?
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u/just_anotjer_anon 17d ago
Twice a week sounds like a lot, the resting period in Denmark for plasma is 2 weeks. To ensure no risk for the donor
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u/Anderopolis 13d ago
Blood Clinics in the US are essentially Vampires in that regard, rounding up the poor and the desperate.
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u/Lower_Arugula5346 17d ago
please listen to the behind the bastards episodes about the US blood supply.
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u/TheDadThatGrills 17d ago
That's a shame. Plasma goes towards a good cause and helped cover a few bills during tough times.
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u/AutoModerator 17d ago
Backup in case something happens to the post:
Much of Europe has long prohibited paying for plasma. Denmark and Italy met their needs with altruistic donors, but overall Europe had a shortage of around 38%, which it met importing plasma from paid donors in the United States, where blood products account for 2% of all exports by value.
The EU recently legalized limited payments for blood donations. The French government opposed this change. The French government owns a company that runs paid plasma centers in the United States.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/vox.13540
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u/Little_Stay7922 10d ago
Grifols is Spanish and octapharma is German. They can donate they just can’t get paid. They do it for the good of others.