How Does Paid Plasma Donation Work?

Donating plasma for cash is no new phenomenon. For some time now, donors have been actively doing it ( part-time and even full time), earning as much as $1000 a month for donating plasma. Which raises the question, how do plasma donations work exactly, and how can a new donor get their foot in the door?

Unfortunately, donating plasma is not as straightforward as your typical blood donation. While it is an overall safe activity, there's a whole vetting process that needs to be done to ensure that you are a viable donor. And this can make the process seem a lot more daunting than it is.

To break it down for you, we shall go over exactly and how you can make a plasma donation the easy way, using DoNotPay, the world's first robot lawyer.

What Is Plasma?

In simple terms, plasma is what constitutes the liquid part of your blood. It is what is left when you take out the platelets, red and white blood. It contains antibodies, enzymes, salts, and proteins used by pharmaceuticals to make medicines to treat life-threatening conditions.

Now, despite being the largest part of blood, plasma is still a little short in supply. It can take as much as 1300 donations to create enough medicine for just one patient in a year. This is why (unlike ordinary blood donations) financial incentives are being offered for plasma donations to encourage donors to give up some of their plasma.

Why Donate Plasma?

Other than the fact that you get paid for it, donating plasma allows you to give people needing plasma-derived therapies the gift of a healthier life. As previously stated, plasma is used to make medicines and can help thousands of patients facing life-threatening conditions. There is no way of synthetically producing it; therefore, your contribution can go a long way in helping out.

Plasma Donor Eligibility Requirements

There are a few basic requirements that you must satisfy before becoming a plasma donor. They include the following:

You have to be between 18 and 65 years old
You must weigh more than 110 lbs
You should provide proof of address and identity
You have to pass a basic physical exam
You need to pass a basic blood test, health screens, and viral tests (like an HIV test)

How Much Do You Get Paid for Plasma?

How much you can get paid for plasma depends on three major things:

Your Weight	Ideally, the more weight a donor has, the larger the amount of plasma can be derived and this translates to more pay.
Your Location	Some locations and institutions pay relatively more than others. Therefore to get the very best deals, it is vital that you scout for one that pays more.
First-Time Donor	If you are a first-time donor, you stand to gain even more because of bonuses intended to lure in new donors. You can earn as much as 1,100$ in your first month.

Regardless of the above factors, most donation institutions will give around $50-$75 for each appointment. The payments would then be transferred to your debit card, ready for immediate use.

How to Donate Plasma by Yourself?

Donating plasma sums up to identifying a certified donation center and then scheduling an appointment. You want to call them first beforehand to make sure you have all the required documents with you during the appointment day. This might include:

A government-issued ID
Social Security Card or Social Security Number (in the recent year)
Mail postmarked within 2 months of your visit or an electrical bill that can prove your address

Things to Keep In Mind Before and After Donating

There are a few fundamentals you can do before or after donating plasma to ensure a safe and successful experience. Let's take a look.

What to do Before Plasma Donation?

Drink a lot of water and consume iron and protein-rich foods – never go on an empty stomach
Eat a full meal within 2 hours of your donation appointment
Don't drink alcohol at least 24 hours before donating – it might lead to dehydration
Get a good night's sleep – for a quicker recovery
Avoid fatty or high cholesterol foods
Avoid tobacco use before and after donating
Avoid caffeine use
Avoid strenuous exercise

Observe for Side Effects After Plasma Donation

As we mentioned earlier, plasma donation is a pretty safe process. Still, you might experience some small side effects after donating. For instance, you might experience fatigue, dehydration, or faintness. This is because plasma contains nutrients and salts, which you lose in the process.

How Often Can You Donate Plasma?

The good thing about plasma donations is that you can do it more often than you can donate blood. This is because you will get some of your blood back after the plasma has been separated from it.

According to the American Red Cross, plasma donors can donate every 29 days, which will mean up to 13 times each year. However, private companies going by the FDA regulations allow you to donate once every two days, meaning you can do it twice in a week, with a minimum wait of 24 hours between two donations.

Also, if you've donated blood, you'll need to wait at least 2 weeks before you can qualify to donate plasma.

How Does Plasma Collection Work?

The process of plasma collection is pretty standard across most institutions. Let's break it down:

Start by checking In	Make sure you have all your documents, including an identification card and proof of address
Basic exams will be taken	Here, a clinic staffer will run basic exams, including taking vitals, pulse, blood pressure, and blood levels before the process can start.
Be hooked up to the machine	The machine will then take out your blood, separate and derive the plasma, and then return all the other components in the blood to your body mixed with some saltwater as a replacement for the withdrawn plasma.

If it is your first time, the whole process should take about 2 hours since you'll need to give out your health history and go through a thorough physical exam. Consecutive visits should take about an hour.

Having Trouble? Let DoNotPay Lend You a Hand

If you find the whole validation process to be strenuous and tiring, you can leave it to the able hands of DoNotPay, by following the steps below.

Search "plasma donations" on DoNotPay and find the nearest donation clinic through our clinical trials product.
Select the "Contact Now" button to learn more about eligibility criteria, contact the clinic with questions, or sign up for first-time donor bonuses.
Verify your information and submit your inquiry! DoNotPay will contact the clinic on your behalf and make sure your questions get answered.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

Other than how to donate plasma for money, DoNotPay will also provide answers to related questions you might have, such as:

On top of that, DoNotPay can help with all sorts of other online application processes you don't want to do yourself, including:

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By now, you know a thing or two about . Ready to get started donating plasma for money? Let guide you through and help you help change the life of a needy patient today!