What many people don’t know is that four in five people will need a plasma drug at some point in their lives. This is what makes donations so important. But since Corona, readiness in Austria has declined.
Every year, pharmaceutical giant Takeda processes about 3.5 million liters of blood plasma from all over the world into medicines in Vienna. Some of them are also from Upper Austria. In Linz and Wels, Takeda operates two plasma centers under the name “BioLife”.
minus 30 percent
But when Corona came, the willingness to donate also decreased. “We have a drop of about 30 percent,” said Leonhard Heinzl, site manager in Linz. Plasma is a very important building block in medicine. “Four in five people will need products made from blood plasma at some point in their lives,” Heinzl says. And that, of course, means that the need is high. About 50,000 liters were extracted in Upper Austria before Covid, now it is 35,000. “Of course the distance restrictions have allowed fewer people to donate and many have become more cautious,” Heinzl says.
30 euros as “reward”
Plasma donation is not that complicated. If you are between 18 and 60 years old and healthy, you can do it anytime. The first time you will also need a registration form and a photo ID. It takes about an hour (depending on how much you donate) for the special machine to extract the plasma from the donor’s blood. Reward for the effort: 30 euros expense allowance.
time to switch off
But there is one more thing that many donors appreciate. “Here I have an hour of rest, I can be myself and read in peace or listen to an audiobook,” said many donors at the local inspection “Krone” at the BiloLife Center in Linz. Others have acquaintances or relatives who need a medicine from the blood fluid and therefore know how important donations can be for those affected.
free exam
“I always have problems with iron levels. Because it is always measured with plasma donation, I have it well under control,” explains one donor. But watch out! On the day of the donation, you eat as healthy as possible, ie fat-free. “The plasma is normally yellow. If you’ve eaten a lot of cheese, meatloaf or something similar the day before, it will lighten up,” Heinzl says. However, this has no effect on the plasma quality.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
