SILHILLIANS are being called on to roll up their sleeves and donate blood plasma to help complete trials of new machines which could almost double the number of plasma donors.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) say at present most women cannot donate plasma due to the current height and weight criteria but the new machines open the door for more donors.
The trials of the new machines are being carried out in Birmingham but if successful, they would be introduced at all of NHSBT’s plasma donor centres.
Plasma medicines are used to treat rare and life-threatening diseases as contains antibodies which fight infections or calm the immune system if it’s attacking a person’s body.
Stuart Young, from the Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre on New Street in Birmingham, said: “Giving plasma is inspirational and we could almost double the number of potential donors if we can complete the validation of these machines.”
The NHS currently relies on imports of plasma medicines.
A new donation and manufacturing network is being built up by NHSBT, NHS England, and the Department of Health and Social Care.
The plasma being donated in Birmingham and will be made into immunoglobulin medicine when a full UK manufacturing supply chain is in place.
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