Plasma is used both directly in the treatment of diseases and, above all, as the raw material for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products, which are used in life-saving therapies. Throughout every stage of processing, the system is centred on patients’ needs for care and safety. Treatments based on plasma-derived medicines are provided free of charge by the National Health Service.
Here is the journey of plasma, from donation to care
Plasma can be donated either through a whole blood donation, after which the blood is separated into its individual components, or through a dedicated collection procedure known as plasmapheresis. This process separates the plasma from red blood cells and platelets, which are returned to the donor during the same session. Although it takes slightly longer — around 45 minutes — it allows for a larger volume of plasma to be collected, immediate recovery, and more frequent donations.
The result of the donation is a plasma bag (or unit) ranging from approximately 250 ml in the case of whole blood collection to 600–700 ml when collected through plasmapheresis.
All plasma units undergo rigorous testing to ensure quality and safety for transfusion use. Once validated, the plasma bags are deemed suitable either for allocation to patients or for distribution to manufacturers for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products.
10% Clinical UsePlasma is delivered directly to patients for the treatment of a range of clinical conditions, including severe coagulation disorders and haemorrhages, extensive burns, and immunological diseases.
90% Sent to the pharmaceutical industry
Most donated plasma is supplied to the pharmaceutical industry, on behalf of the Regions, for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products such as immunoglobulins, albumin, coagulation factors, antithrombin, and others.
Plasma intended for the production of medicinal products also undergoes further testing by pharmaceutical companies authorised to manufacture plasma-derived medicines.
Before being distributed to hospital and public pharmacies, plasma-derived medicinal products must undergo further testing carried out by laboratories officially authorised at European level (OMCLs).
Medicinal products are delivered to the Regions that own the plasma and distributed to hospital pharmacy services or public pharmacies for patient treatment.
The system also allows for the compensation of plasma-derived medicines between Regions with surplus and those with shortages, ensuring the availability of these treatments to patients across the entire national territory.
Medicinal products are administered to patients either directly in hospital or at home, under medical prescription.The ownership of plasma collected within the national territory, as well as of the medicinal products derived from it, is public.
Regions, either individually or in association with one another, supply plasma to pharmaceutical companies under a “contract manufacturing” arrangement. The plasma processing service is awarded by the Regions to the pharmaceutical company through a public tender procedure.
What do the Regions do?
1. They supply plasma (1) collected by Blood Establishments to authorised companies.
2. They distribute plasma-derived medicinal products (2) to hospital pharmacy services or public pharmacies.
They collect plasma from voluntary donations.
They carry out the industrial processing of plasma for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products.
They allocate plasma-derived medicinal products to patients.
