Latest news with #plasmadonation
Medical News Today
3 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Can someone with rheumatoid arthritis donate plasma?
According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) does not generally disqualify a person from donating if a person has severe RA, their doctor may recommend that they do not donate. Other factors unrelated to RA may also stop a person with this condition from being able to example, some factors that may stop a person from donating include:taking aspirin in the past 48 hourstesting positive for HIVcurrent severe allergiestaking antibiotics, excluding antibiotics for acnetaking narcotic pain relieversa current flu or coldhaving routine dental work in the past 24 hourspregnancyweighing below 110 lbsThe MSKCC also states that someone with RA should inform their donor program before donating if they have previously taken or are currently taking upadacitinib (Rinvoq).Upadactinib is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) that doctors typically use to treat taking immunosuppressive drugs may also be unable to donate blood or plasma, temporarily or permanently. This is due to the increased risk of infection and potential effects on people who will receive the who want to donate plasma may have to undergo medical testing to ensure they are suitable. This may involve testing blood pressure and other health factors. People can speak with a healthcare professional to learn more about this with RA may also want to consider whether the donation process may affect their symptoms or cause discomfort before the needle is in place during plasma donation, a person must recline on a chair and may need to repeatedly squeeze a soft ball. If someone's RA affects their hands or wrists, this action may be entire process of giving plasma may take up to two hours on a person's first time. After this, appointments may range from an hour to an hour and a half. The actual plasma extraction can be up to an hour someone with RA wants to donate plasma, it is generally a good idea to speak with a member of their healthcare team. A healthcare professional can help assess whether they may be a suitable donor and explain the potential for adverse effects or moreEverything to know about rheumatoid arthritisAdvantages and disadvantages of donating bloodFacts about blood plasmaHow does RA affect different parts of the body?
CBC
3 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Equipment failure at Winnipeg clinic caused blood plasma donor's kidney injury, lawsuit alleges
A Winnipeg man who donated blood plasma at a plasma clinic has filed a lawsuit claiming he suffered a serious kidney injury after something went wrong with the machine used in the procedure to withdraw blood. The plaintiff alleges the issue happened at the Grifols plasma collection facility, operated by the Ontario-based Canadian Plasma Resources, on Taylor Avenue in Winnipeg. It gives members of the public an honorarium payment for donating blood plasma, according to his lawsuit, filed July 9 with Manitoba Court of King's Bench. On July 15, 2023, the now 43-year-old donor went to the clinic for what the lawsuit describes as a routine plasma donation through a procedure called plasmapheresis, which involves blood passing through medical equipment to separate the plasma from the red blood cells. The red blood cells are then returned to the donor, along with replacement fluids. The procedure took about 90 minutes, and the donor left the Grifols facility around 10:45 a.m., the lawsuit says. Around noon, he began to feel ill and experienced symptoms such as blood in his urine and flu-like symptoms, it says. He called Canadian Plasma Resources to ask if the symptoms were anything he should be concerned about, but was told they were unaware of any issue that would cause them, his lawsuit says. He was advised to drink fluids and seek medical attention if the symptoms worsened. By shortly after 1 p.m., the donor began having significant abdominal pain, which continued to intensify, his lawsuit says. He was taken by ambulance to St. Boniface Hospital, where medical tests were done, including blood work, an ultrasound, a CT scan and urinalysis, to determine the source of his symptoms, the court document says. At the hospital, the donor got an email from Canadian Plasma Resources informing him that a "machine error" caused some red blood cells removed during the procedure to be "broken" and erroneously returned into his body along with the plasma, the claim says. It says he was advised the error may cause him to experience symptoms such as "blood in the urine, lower flank pain, shortness of breath, fever, weakness, confusion, or yellowing of the skin." Acute kidney injury: lawsuit The medical testing determined the donor had suffered an acute kidney injury as a result of the error, the claim alleges. He is suing Canadian Plasma Resources, which operates as Grifols, as well as three Grifols employees identified as health-care professionals. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the defendants have not filed statements of defence. The lawsuit says the man continued to experience fatigue and low energy that made him unable to return to work for about a month, after which he went back to work gradually. He continued suffering fatigue and low energy for about six months, the claim says. It also alleges he has suffered "non-reversible and permanent injuries" from the acute kidney injury, which may result in chronic kidney disease in his lifetime. The lawsuit seeks damages for pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and lost income, among other damages. It alleges the employees at Grifols working at the time of the machine error failed to ensure the medical equipment was working safely and properly, and failed to recognize the equipment was malfunctioning. The employees also failed to advise the donor in a timely way that there was an error during his procedure and that he might experience complications, the claim alleges. CBC reached out to the plaintiff and his lawyer, as well as the defendants Grifols and Canadian Plasma Resources, but did not receive comment on the lawsuit before deadline. Grifols' website says plasma, the straw-coloured liquid portion of blood in which blood cells are suspended, is "used to manufacture life-saving and life-changing therapies." It says tens of thousands of Canadians benefit from plasma therapies used to treat a range of medical issues, such as immune deficiencies, respiratory disorders, and surgical bleeding, among others.
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
After decades of being banned, Chris hopes his liquid gold is 'a step forward for equality'
Chris Steel hasn't sat in a donor lounge chair for decades. He compared his last phone call from Red Cross Australia asking him to donate, "effectively having to come out again". "I had to say, look, I know I can't donate. I'm gay. I'm sorry," he told SBS News. "And you know, it is one of those things that you don't want to have to necessarily confront. It's a difficult conversation to have." Steel, who is the ACT treasurer, has been advocating for blood donation services to include donations from gay and bisexual men for years. He says he is now happy to see the source of angst removed for many. From Monday, most gay and bisexual men, those using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and transgender women will be able to donate plasma nationwide, even if they'd had sex with men in the previous three months, as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria. Lifeblood Australia estimates the change affects 600,000 Australians and anticipates an extra 24,000 donors or 95,000 extra plasma donations as a result. Ban rooted in HIV transmission fears Skye McGregor, an epidemiologist whose work focuses on surveillance and prevention of sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses at the Kirby Institute at the University of NSW, said the ban stems from the 1980s. She said fears over transmitting HIV through blood transfusions prompted an urgent health response from Australia and many other countries around the world. "Australia introduced an indefinite deferral for men who have sex with men, and this because they're the population who've historically been most impacted by HIV," she told SBS News. "There was a three-month or more delay between someone acquiring HIV and a test being able to detect it. "And so as HIV testing improved over time, the deferral for men who have sex with men decreased from indefinite to 12 months … then in 2021 this was reduced to three months." First-time donor Johannes felt frustrated that he was unable to donate for years. Source: SBS News / Rania Yallop Steel is excited to witness the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) provide a safe pathway for donating the liquid gold and hopes to encourage thousands to donate. "Gay men are just as altruistic as anyone else," Steel said. "They want to help others, and they've been prevented from doing so; that changes today, and it's really great to see this step forward for equality." The service is also working on changes to eligibility for blood and platelet donations after the TGA approved a submission to remove gender-based sexual activity rules. Under those changes, all donors will be asked the same questions about their sexual activity, regardless of their gender or sexuality. All donors with new or multiple partners will be prohibited from proceeding if they've had anal sex in the last three months. Rolling up their sleeves a 'step towards equity' Since hearing about the rules update, 26-year-old Canberran Ben, who did not give his last name, has been recruiting friends to roll up their sleeves. Ben arrived before 9am to be one of the first donors at the launch event on Monday. He said he found the previous guidelines "a little bit unfair". "It's a step towards equity and I think it's a reasonable sacrifice to make," he told SBS News. Following the rule change, Ben (right) has already enlisted six of his friends to donate plasma. Source: SBS News / Rania Yallop Ben was accompanied by Johannes, who works in a Canberra hospital and was motivated to add to the plasma supply after seeing the impact on recipients first-hand. "I'm at the giving side of blood products, and I know how life-saving it can be to have them, whether that's plasma or red blood cells," Johannes said. 'Felt braver': Life-changing plasma Hayley Teasdale cannot put into words the impact of two small vials of plasma. For years, a rare primary immune deficiency left her unwell, bedridden and frequently visiting the hospital. Hayley Teasdale uses two vials of plasma a week, the equivalent of 100 plasma donations, to boost her immunocompromised body. Source: SBS News / Rania Yallop Now, the equivalent of 100 plasma donations a year, has meant she can live a full and active lifestyle and keep up with her three-year-old daughter. Teasdale received her first dose of plasma at the age of 24 and described it as "life-changing". "I felt braver to go out in public spaces. "I could deal with getting sick now, because I had the support of someone else's immune system, essentially, and that was very powerful."
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
'Liquid gold' donations to flow after Lifeblood's new sexual activity rules take effect
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . The last time Chris Steel donated blood was decades ago. When the Red Cross later called, asking him for another donation, he says it was like coming out all over again. "I had to say, look, I know I can't donate. I'm gay. I'm sorry. And you know, it is one of those things that you don't want to have to necessarily confront it's a difficult conversation to have." The A-C-T's Treasurer has been pushing for blood and plasma donation rules to be changed since entering politics. Today, he's one of 625,000 Australians now eligible to donate plasma as sexual activity restrictions blocking most gay and bisexual men from giving the liquid part of blood are lifted. "After the marriage equality non binding plebiscite result and the changes to marriage equality laws, people were looking at other forms of discrimination that existed in society, and this was one that I think a lot of people came up against and recognised, but it wasn't one that could be changed overnight." Lifeblood estimates the new 'plasma pathway' will lead to an additional 95,000 plasma donations a year. It marks the end of restrictions that began in the 1980s, as Dr Skye McGregor from the Kirby Institute explains. "HIV transmission through blood transfusions prompted an urgent public health response. And so Australia, like many countries around the world, introduced an indefinite deferral for men who have sex with men, and this because they're the population who've historically been most impacted by HIV in Australia, and at this time, there was no HIV testing." As HIV testing advanced, the total ban was lifted and replaced with a suspension period. "The deferral for men who have sex with men decreased from indefinite to 12 months in 2000. And then in 2021 this was reduced to three months since last sexual activity, however, really didn't take into account that there was lower risk groups." From 14 JULY, potential plasma donors will only be asked one sexual-activity related question, with people who have had sex with someone who have been found to have HIV, hepatitis B or C, or HTLV in the last three months unable to donate. And while men and transgender women donating blood will still be asked if they have recently had sex with men, there's a plan for that to end, with a gender neutral screening question to be introduced next year. Once implemented, all donors will be asked the same questions, with most people in monogamous sexual relationships able to donate. Instead, anyone who has recently had anal sex with new or multiple partners will be unable to donate, regardless of gender. Dr McGregor says that reflects the potential risks. "Unprotected anal sex carries a higher risk of HIV transmission compared to other sexual activities, and this is particularly if it's a receptive anal intercourse, and this is because there's a risk of tears and abrasion in the anal passage, and it makes it easier for HIV to enter the bloodstream." For people like Hayley Teasdale, it's also a big day. "It's pretty hard to put into words just how important these donations are for my life. Before I received the plasma products, I was incredibly unwell, spending a lot of time in bed in hospital, always recovering from some kind of illness, and I'm able to live a full and active life. I have a job that I love, a family that I get to spend so much time with a beautiful, three year old daughter who keeps me very busy that without this plasma, I would not be able to keep up with it's honestly just given me a whole life I never thought was possible for a while there." The 33 year old relies on 100 plasma donations a year for her medication to treat a rare immune deficiency. "It's just such a huge moment for a community that's been just wanting to donate for so long. And it's moved me to tears to listen to Chris speak about that, and I'm so excited for all our new donors."
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Bristol teenager running 5k a day to inspire plasma donors
A teenager is running 5km every day for 25 days in an effort to inspire new blood and plasma donations. George, 13, from Knowle, Bristol, is 20 days into the challenge, which has seen him wake up at 05:30 BST to complete his runs before going to and his younger brother Artie both have primary immunodeficiency, which means they require immunoglobulin infusions - only possible through plasma donations - every four weeks. George plans to finish the challenge on 7 July at the hospital where they both receive treatment."I'm trying to get more people to donate and show my thanks to people who have already donated," George said. George is aiming to encourage 25 people to sign up to donate blood or plasma through his challenge, telling BBC Radio Bristol he was "on track" but needed "a few more people" to meet his goal. There are three dedicated plasma donor centres across the UK, with the West Country's nearest centre in Reading, Berkshire, but plasma can also be extracted from whole blood donations as the component makes up 55% of blood. George's mother, Michelle, said she was "incredibly proud", adding: "It's a challenge I know I wouldn't be able to do but he's been really motivated. "We're incredibly proud of the fact that he's doing this, he's keeping on going and he's just trying to raise awareness of the importance of blood and plasma donation." George said getting up to complete the runs had become "more and more tiring". "It's been really tough because it's really hot and that just drains my energy." But he added he felt "really good because it will be over soon and I will have achieved it".While the runs may be getting more difficult, all the effort has not put George off. "I've always wanted to do a marathon one day so hopefully I'll be able to do that," he said.
