Why So Many Companies Want U.S. Blood

In America, blood means big business. America’s blood makes up 2.69% of U.S. exports, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Since there is no substitute for human blood, demand can be hard to meet. Over the pandemic, the Red Cross announced its first ever national blood shortage crisis. The shortage prompted the FDA’s 12-month blood donation deferral for men who have sex with men to be shortened to three months time. Advocates want the FDA to follow the science and do away with the ban altogether, following countries like Italy and Spain which have done the same. But outside of the clinic, blood plasma becomes a product.
Grifols, CSL Plasma, Takada’s Biolife and Octapharma are huge players in the plasma collection space and donors are compensated for their donation. Increasingly, plasma donations are becoming an economic coping mechanism for low income communities. Watch the video about to learn more about how the weird economy of blood works, why the U.S. is such a major player and what makes plasma so valuable.
“There are still sporadic shortages,” Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, told CNBC.
An early pandemic shortage prompted the FDA to loosen its restriction, which stems from the 1980s AIDS crisis, on accepting blood donations from men who have sex with men. Advocates want the FDA to follow the science and do away with the ban altogether, as have countries such as Italy and Spain.
“There is still government policy that stigmatizes gay and bisexual and other men who have sex with men and carries forward this false notion that there is something inherently diseased about being gay,” Jason Cianciotto, vice president of communications and public policy at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, told CNBC.
A 2014 report found that allowing this community equal access to donating blood could increase the blood supply by 2% to 4% every year.
Grifols, CSL Plasma, Takeda’s Biolife and Octapharma are huge players in the blood collection space, particularly plasma, and donors are compensated.
“Plasma donation [centers] are advertising $900 for your first month giving plasma,” Analidis Ochoa, a doctoral candidate studying social work and sociology at the University of Michigan, told CNBC. “Then it goes down. Usually people can make $30 to $50 each time they go.”
In most countries, blood donation for compensation is banned, but not in the United States. So, the U.S. supplies 70% of the world’s plasma, according to the Niskanen Center.
“What myself and colleagues have worked on is mapping out the location of plasma centers and seeing if there’s a correlation between the address of the center and the poverty level of the area. And what we have found is that they are, in fact, overrepresented in high-poverty areas,” Ochoa said.
She said that plasma donation for compensation is becoming an economic coping mechanism.
“The fact that I got rewarded for donating has kept me donating, because I couldn’t make it otherwise. I couldn’t buy gas. I couldn’t pay my car insurance,” Teresa Clark, a plasma donor, told CNBC. “I can make $650 to $700 a month ... and that helps a lot when you’re on a fixed income.”
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Why So Many Companies Want U.S. Blood

[@lindsayann7756]

They want you to donate your blood and then charge you in the hospital for the blood 👀

[@johnjohnson3390]

They might charge you for your own blood ☠

[@jonathanmccain8646]

Processing and testing the blood costs a lot of money.

[@jovanvazquez1697]

@@jonathanmccain8646 yes but giving donors 50-70$ base on what they give to one of my coworker and then sell it in the hospital for +500$ someone is making big profit why target low income areas well the bills can talk more than a person most of the time...

[@beckygail9454]

exactly

[@user-iu4se2ps7d]

Welcome to the USA healthcare system

[@nokiot9]

It’s utterly depressing to hear someone say they can’t afford to exist without selling her blood.

[@batwayne8388]

Murica!!

[@titankorellc2937]

I work full time and have to sell my plasma inorder to pay unexpected expenses or to buy presents for my nephews.

[@TMM-N]

@@titankorellc2937 no one forced u to buy present

[@titankorellc2937]

@@TMM-N okay I will just let my nephews think I hate them by never giving them a birthday present. Also I said "unexpected expenses" such as vehicle repair or heaven forbid I have a hobby that costs money.

[@markovichglass]

@@titankorellc2937 if your nephews live in a world, where presents show you "love them" then I feel bad for them and you are a major part of this failing economy which makes you donate blood to buy gifts!!!! If you loved your nephews, you would just make them gifts, or spend time with them. That's true love, not materialism.

[@michaelntiababio5802]

In Ghana,West Africa, when you donate blood , you get a beverage and Milk and a certificate. You keep the certificate and when you or your immediate family ever need blood in a hospital, you pay for it at about 50% discount due to the certificate. Also, according to them, priority will be given to you when there's shortage of supply.

[@gringa978]

Wow that’s interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@seedleaf54]

???? ur family cant donate if event happens for free?

[@angelvu]

@@seedleaf54 The point is that it encourages more people to donate, of course people will donate for free out of kindness but more people will donate if they get something in return

[@cinnamonstar808]

They collect blood because they are also searching for a specific dna sequencing. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC ancient black race on the planet. the blood is for emergency the same way my old clothes get recycled when I put it in the trash. its not

[@backintimealwyn5736]

@@angelvu it's wrong that care would conditioned to having donated . They should rather give them money.

[@KingOfTheLab]

Loudly: We need to get more people to donate blood. Softly: So WE can make more money. (shhh)

[@willc5512]

@M Guidry More for "compatibility" reasons. U can get the same blood type but still have a "transfusion related reaction" (leukocytes). With a directed donation the blood is "earmarked" for u but if not used they toss it into the normal donation pool. "Autologus" is where u give your own blood for yourself only. They hate having to store it for u then have to destroy it if you dont use it. Its a sad day when ppl are too sick to get a full pint out then we have to "waste" what little they did get in the bag because the ratio of blood:anti coagulant is off! :-(

[@nightfall3605]

That’s not blood donation, that’s blood harvesting.

[@KingOfTheLab]

@@nightfall3605 The worst thing is: we know it, but it's like these blood centers and the Red Cross employ some kind of operant conditioning to make us keep donating blood. They usually use pictures of small kids and adults suffering and then a Morgan Freeman voice would be "the blood you give will save these kids..." And we're all like "OMG, so sad. I want to save these kids." And off we go to donate more blood only to realize again that we've been suckered because the people who really need blood don't usually get it and our blood are sold for a hefty sum.

[@desertflow3r]

I say make that money honey - don't let that money make you. Not sure what it means but sounded fitting for the subject.☺

[@mehere8038]

@Erudite if you give blood for your on use pre-surgery & then hve the surgery & recover & have blood still in storage, what happens to it? Surely you'd donate that blood to let it be used by others rather than just throwing it away?

[@johnpinion8033]

I think the donor should get at least 50% of what the end-consumer (patient) BILLING COST is. Pay me $50, charge $900? Hard pass.

[@0326Hambone]

Think it goes for more than $50 on the black market?

[@leonidas14775]

Yeah, they need to pay more than that to get me in the door

[@rcisneros8567]

That's for plasma. Blood can be hundreds of dollars more. Nice profit margin.

[@timby2383]

This is the American healthcare for you. I won't be surprised if you get $2000 bill after donating it ($1000 for a blood pumping needle and syringe, $500 administrative fees, $500 labor).

[@terrycoontz]

@@timby2383 lol 😂

[@sg8953]

I'm O negative, the universal donor. I used to try to donate blood regularly at a local nonprofit, but half the time the center would screw up the stick and I'd end up with giant bruises and they wouldn't actually get a full donation (meaning it's all wasted). But the bigger problem I had was that they literally started hounding me on the phone to donate blood. I was getting multiple calls a day EVERY DAY. All so they could profit by SELLING my blood to the highest bidder. Pass.

[@mathewvanostin7118]

If they sell the blood. Then they should pay i dont know 50$ the blood donor If its charity. Then the blood should be given for free at a public hospital. With selling it prohibited by law

[@stankssmile5865]

Ask them for 50% $$ watch the calls die down

[@meralu5251]

Thank you for sharing.

[@davidstrong7854]

Yea cause they are making a fortune off you. They don’t give your blood away.

[@XtarShoter]

This is the thing that bothered me most when I donated blood back in HS. It seemed like they had too much money in their hands, as if a corporation had come to our school. They sell OUR blood for huge profit yet we the 'donors' get a sugary drink and a snack as compensation ? This is all about keeping the supply low, if they wanted they could easily incentive it by paying folks

[@Adohleas]

Let this sink in to you, about 70% of the worlds Plasma comes from the U.S.

[@otpays8552]

are you gonna finish? i dont understand

[@semajtacobell36]

@@otpays8552 Simply, each American can sell one's own blood to the highest bidder.

[@hugo98765]

​@otpays8552 we are only 4% of the global population

[@BluetheRaccoon]

Why do they keep calling is "donating blood"? When you donate for a fee, that's called selling. People in America are so poor, many of us are resorting on selling one of the few things some of us have left: our health. CSL is lying about diversity of people "donating"

[@smokeyjayshouse]

You want the government to get into taxing blood donation?

[@yao_chin1022]

Some people sell the blood and others donate it.

[@robertcarmosino6563]

@@smokeyjayshouse that's a scary thought , don't give them any ideas

[@monster8090]

Red cross doesn't pay and that is who I was donating to.

[@tancosta1286]

I will not donate one drop of my blood , only will do a trusfusion to and if nessesary to direct help someone out i know , i take care of mine

[@kevinwest3274]

So let me see: 1. I give blood. 2. Companies then take that blood and break it down for big bucks. 3. Hospitals and other companies take the products made from my blood then make even bigger bucks. 4. Meanwhile all I get is a cookie... Yeah no. Cut me in on the big money and I will give blood all day... or until I pass out.

[@JeroenJA]

lol, i heard before in the usa you could be payed to donate blood, but i didn't really expect it to be more then some 20$ perhaps... at 50 $ each time for plasma... i donated some 100 times now, with only some free drink and cookie , and a reward coupon afterwards (giving 3 times can be traded for a standard cinema ticket, still supplements for 3d and stuff ;-) ). so , i missed out on a $5000 in total should i have given in the usa? :-D. also big diffence, fellow donors are also mainly there for doing good, only the red cross can organise the donation, local health is preferenced, and only selective surplus gets traded off elsewere, i even think half of the time donated ... an other big europe/usa gap appearantly, i wonder, should i come to the usa for vacation, could i with m european passport also donate blood for some money for once in my life? :p i have the garantee contacting me would stop once i left the states again, so no such danger for me there ;-)

[@JeroenJA]

wow, didn't watch the entire video, wtf, donating twice a week??? here it is : wait 14 days at least between donations, so, usa lets people donate 4 times as frequently? how many mm do they take a time???

[@strangerthingzzz6134]

Yea sounds like a business lol. Smart humans make smart money dont hate.

[@huiyinghong3073]

@@strangerthingzzz6134 They only want blood from persons that are FULLY VACCINATED, unvax aren't allowed to donate blood

[@angied1178]

Exactly! This videos like "young people really need to step up"... Are you kidding me? Most of us know that blood donation (like through the red cross) Is a total scam (like you pointed out). Why would anyone do that if there's a company that does actually pay people for plasma donations? This video acted like those companies are predatory, but failed to point out the screwed up nature of the red cross and their "donation" model

[@anbuhxrris]

I donated blood dozens of times in Afghanistan when I was deployed. I tried to donate plasma at a grifols location and when they hooked me up to the machine, I passed out. They told me it was mental which I argued with because I have donated blood many times. I went and did a test and turns out I’m allergic to the anticoagulant. They put anticoagulant into the blood they pump back into you after they take the plasma. It makes some people sick.

[@chadachwilliam5515]

Thanks for your service brother. Semper fi

[@Nobody-eg4bi]

@@chadachwilliam5515 they run away like chickens , what service are you talking about

[@haleypaolini]

I am AB+ which makes me a universal plasma donor, I donated plasma + platelets and turns out I am also allergic to the anticoagulant! I had a citrate reaction my lips got all tingly and I felt like I was on xanax. For a week after, every joint in my body felt like I had arthritis. ): Sucks!!

[@anbuhxrris]

@@haleypaolini same here!

[@haleypaolini]

@@anbuhxrris omg did your joints hurt?? I called the hotline and they were like ‘wow we have never heard of this happening’ I was like great now I’m the first person to have permanent arthritis from donating platelets 😭😭

[@TheRubinator13]

I was a phlebotomist at a plasma center for a little over a year, I was also trained to fix the machines when they would break down, which was basically everyday since the machines were from the 1980s, well long story short I stopped working there because I found out each bottle of plasma was being sold by the plasma center for about $5,000-$8,000 while I was getting paid only a few dollars above minimum wage and my benifits so so bad i may as well of not had any, all this even though im handling a biohazard at work and they were never paying donors more than $80 a donation. That only happened if they donated 2x a week every week for the month AND there were special deals going on. The average payout for a donation was about $30-$45. So when I found out how much of a profit was being made and how little the workers and the donors were making, I left. The red cross is just as bad if not worse because they also don't pay very well and they don't even pay their donors anything but sell the blood bags to hospitals for extremely high prices The whole industry revolves around money and it should revolve around helping people

[@worstlolplayer8889]

k and its a job thinking ur entitled to get a profit of someone's business is wrong make your own and reap the reward

[@TheRubinator13]

@Evelyn Greene 10000%!!! You are so spot on! They are very greedy when they should be worried about helping people

[@worstlolplayer8889]

@Evelyn Greene ya but u have to pay a person to collect it u have to pay someone to test it the u have to pay the electric and maintenance to store it. If it's not used it goes bad so there's waste u have to pay for it to be proper disposal if they pay ppl for it to much there is no profit + for the ppl that need it u have to pay the workers wages to

[@worstlolplayer8889]

@Evelyn Greene it willl be the same price in the eu with there "free"(payed with there taxes)" healthcare system as it is in the us sorry toi burst ur bubble the end user dosent have to pay it like any hospital bill just in 5 years it will hit your credit harder than joe biden crashed the oil industry

[@janeta3509]

Wow thanks for revealing this!

[@kellharris2491]

The dehydration and loss of plasma can cause some people to have dangerous mood drops. It can exacerbate depression. People aren't aware of it. Donating is a good thing but you need to be mindful. You should increase your protein, iron and water intake to make up for the loss.

[@Chris-yo3cl]

Yes! I totally agree ,currently feel that way due to two recent donations,of whole blood and platelets.

[@ampoule1878]

do you increase your protein levels prior or after donating plasma?

[@taz6122]

@@ampoule1878 both

[@kellharris2491]

@@ampoule1878 I do both. I have found meals that are heavy in protein and carbs to be very helpful like spaghetti or peanut butter sandwiches. Sometimes drinking a lot of water can be hard so I get stuff to flavor the water. I also keep a snack in my pocket incase the waiting time is long and I get the munchies. :)

[@80sGamerLady]

Yeah I tried it about 5 or 6 times and then experienced passing out with my kids later than day after having a successful donation and staying very hydrated with high protein diet. I can't set aside the whole day to recover for a 20 dollar donation. Pass.

[@om-nj2hw]

It's absurd to expect people to donate their blood when hospitals and health companies are totally for profit. Are they donating their services to the community? No they are not no $ no help etc, and in these rough times maybe the solution is to give $ for blood, would help some people out.

[@doorlocke8009]

in the US technically hospitals can't turn you away if you have an emergency even if you can't pay. usually it's part of the reason those who can get such huge bills because the hospital has to foist the costs off somewhere else and they already have to fight the insurance companies to pay for the care you receive so it makes sense to fight for a bit more. as an addition, this is also why if you have an upcoming procedure/medical visit you can go to their finance department and they'll work with you to give you at cost care. I originally heard of this from a guy whose wife was pregnant and 6 months before she was due he went in and worked out a payment plan. He paid like $1,200 over 6 months and when she went into labor everything was already paid (this was like late 90's early 00's though)

[@hamham0059410]

Blood donations used to be compensated with money, but that practice stopped to lower the incidence of donations with HIV

[@Christina-71]

It is definitely absurd with these gas prices especially! I donate my O- regularly because they're stalkers, lol. But it's getting old, the time it takes and the fuel used. Compensation would be nice!

[@evettc7887]

I donated plasma montly because it's a good thing and the gift cards I receive pays for my families groceries. It's a fair trade for my time and plasma. Why should I donate my blood to hospitals that make billions in profit and get nothing in return? If we had universal health care system and I might be more inclined to truly donated.

[@seedleaf54]

ask homeless or medicare to donate

[@WizzyHatto]

Did anyone click this because the title gave them a shock?

[@marlinlopez4087]

No

[@Bigbrothersinsight]

Yup

[@mariavalencia3272]

You can say it again.

[@Sho-td8wg]

No. If there's a need there's a market

[@DMGoggins]

I thought it was metaphorical. I think I passed out 2 minutes in. 🤢

[@PRmoustache88]

I remember donating plasma during the Reagan administration. I was really poor and I needed food stamps. The social worker wanted a receipt for the donated plasma, so that the funds could count against the food stamp allotment. If I did not bring in the receipts, the application would be denied. I went to the plasma center to ask for receipts of the cash payments to me. They said that they did not do this as it was not policy to give donaters receipts. At the time the disbursements were $10 to $12 per visit. God, that time sucked.

[@ginamitembe8935]

Pure wickedness in our society, forcing people to sell their blood (which is important to their health) because the governments are failing their nationals!

[@FRANKMANGIAPANE]

Yeah, same here.

[@Christina-71]

That time is exactly what we're headed for right now, another Jimmy Carter disasterous, devastated economy, out of control inflation and interest rates! Only now, we don't have Reagan to dig us out of this nightmare!

[@RobinSueWho]

Why tell them you donated blood? They don't need to know.

[@heather648]

@@RobinSueWho I was going to say the same thing. Sometimes it’s best not to tell everything you do

[@MrLoobu]

One of the sickest most evil rackets I've ever heard of, and in no way surprising.

[@evettc7887]

I donated plasma montly because it's a good thing and the gift cards I receive pays for my families groceries. It's a fair trade for my time and plasma in my opinion.

[@PatriceMorris.]

@@evettc7887 sounds like Prostitution to me.

[@GoldKingsMan]

@@evettc7887 I hope they paid you extra.

[@chriswolff3893]

@@evettc7887 It pays for 75% of the crack in Syracuse

[@frankthefkintank]

@@evettc7887 "it's a good thing" to give your life essence for the profits of an evil corporation. ...

[@davidebacchi9030]

Those are not ‘donors’ just ‘sellers’. If someone does something and recive money as ‘compensation’ that isn’t a donation, that’s a sale.

[@HiddenAgendas]

Americans are getting ripped off. Getting maybe $20 or a free cookie for their donated blood. While the Red Cross turns around and flip it for $100,000+

[@ok.ok.5735]

It’s a donation for your donation.

[@laurensa.1803]

Capitalism...

[@eschaton2834]

It's f****** vampirism. It's the ultimate own on the poor by the rich. Don't give me this nonsense capitalism yeah yeah it's it's f***** dude it's f*****.

[@deckape69]

if you donate, someone will make money, just not you

[@npcwill283]

I have been paying attention to this for a while ! I was wondering when people were going to realize we were short on blood but somehow it was a 3 billion dollar export ! Every time I see a politician on twitter promoting a blood drive I instantly think who is no one limiting exports ?

[@huiyinghong3073]

They only want blood from persons that are FULLY VACCINATED, unvax aren't allowed to donate blood

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

Why...? Exports make the company more money.

[@annoyedaussie3942]

Well plenty of illegal weapons exported from the US, you can send some blood for the damage.

[@npcwill283]

@@annoyedaussie3942 Is there a colony of vampires out there some where ? A higher dollar value than corn or wheat ?

[@celieboo]

I am O+. I proudly donated whole blood to Lifeshare blood centers in Shreveport for years. I was one of those people with the 20 gallon donor coffee cup, etc. I stopped donating when I found out that I had a critically low ferritin level since I donated blood and had EXTREMELY heavy periods.

[@frankthefkintank]

How do you feel about the fact that the blood from your body was likely used more to produce profits for companies than used to help someone in need?

[@mramerica4749]

I donate blood a couple times a yea, it’s like a oil change for the body, it’s great for the body, I don’t worry about big pharma, don’t worry about what people think or say, I do me. I am out here saving life’s with my pure blood, I am a rare blood with no toxins. Lol

[@celieboo]

@@frankthefkintank yeah. Not good!

[@kathleenking47]

You could wait after menopause probably. Men and post menopausal women should do it occasionally

[@Shaolin91z]

Wow 20 gallon donor 🤪🔫

[@gr86er]

I used to work in manufacturing the blood products. Kind of amazing how much product was processed during each shift while paying us less than they made off one donation. They should offer a better incentive at least to keep donations coming, at least it might help cover everyone's healthcare premiums 🙃

[@ameliawilliams8522]

This is a good market strategy to make good funds

[@carolinejohnson985]

@Jim Lawson Most times I don't really rely such little things because I believe in other ways of making good money not by selling what God gave for free

[@carolinejohnson985]

Despite the huge drop in crypto and fx, I still make good withdrawals. I don't believe that profit making is not possible despite the drop in stocks when you got good mentorship

[@thomasfreddie9235]

@@carolinejohnson985 You really said it all, I'm O" positive but I can't sell my blood but rather give it out for free, the money can't get me a good house or a car

[@aliciaowen2821]

@Elin Johnson I'm new to cryptocurrency trading and I've been making huge losses but recently i see a lot of people earning from it. Please can someone tell me what to do? 😞😞

[@aidanbaxter6556]

@@aliciaowen2821 Same here, My portfolio has been going down the drain while I try trading, I just don't know what I do wrong, have invested $18,000 into crypto all I have now is just $5365.

[@ilhamrj2599]

Wait, profiting billions of dollar from something that people donates for free??? HOW is this even legal??

[@chocomilo1628]

American, that is how.

[@KingOfTheLab]

Isn't capitalism grand? / s

[@nelsonmarcello5853]

its just the same here .. Indonesia

[@Adohleas]

My brother and sister in law donates their blood twice a week for money. So not all of the donated blood is for free.

[@evac3928]

Ask Goodwill.

[@mireya762002]

As someone who regularly receives therapy that derives from plasma donations. I wholeheartedly believe that these companies need to pay their donors more. These pharmaceutical companies make $$$$$ from these donation’s. Just one of my I.V. treatments is close to 5k. That is what these pharmaceutical company’s are charging!

[@Codename_HoeNextDoor]

Yeah I use to DONATE my blood for free, but when I heard they were turning it for a profit, I refused to donate anymore. Then I was constantly harassed every day for a free donation. Yes, us millennial aren't donating because we aren't dumb. You are selling our blood, which we give for free under the guise our blood is being given for free as well.

[@universalalgorithm3263]

2:52 "we're not seeing younger generations pick up the slack..." ~ I thought donating blood was voluntary...

[@mramerica4749]

This new generations blood is toxic, I wouldn’t want blood from a non pure blood, you probably would have more health issues.

[@yuppers1]

Younger people are more educated. They know the blood bank will sell their donation to hospitals for a profit. They've looked at the man behind the curtain. The charade is over.

[@mramerica4749]

@@yuppers1 and they believe there is more than two genders, super smart these new younger generation. LMAO

[@WeitoGo919]

Yes it is, but it would be good if people donated more for those who get heavily injured and need this life saving substance. Obviously, it's optional, but it's just y'know, encouraged by people since it could save someone's life. But according to this.... Some business are taking advantage of it and it's sad

[@26herbs47]

In my state, If we donate 2 packets of blood we get a donor card that entitles me to 2 packets of blood when I need it from hospital stock for FREE. Hence you can keep your donor card and keep collecting blood when u may need it in the future. It's much more effective. 2 bags of blood is just an example. You can donate as many as you want and keep updating your donor card. The best part is that when any strangers friends or family need blood you can also use your card to take blood from the blood bank for free.

[@26herbs47]

@Optimistic and pessimistic India

[@annoyedaussie3942]

Damn that's a real blood bank can actually withdraw exactly what's put in and even get a different currency (blood type)

[@26herbs47]

@Optimistic and pessimistic Goa

[@26herbs47]

@@annoyedaussie3942 Yes Mate from down under. It's a system that works for donors.

[@dicksdrugsanddebutantes9305]

Blood vouchers

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Before the pandemic, my state's blood center would come to my job maybe once every 3 months and I'd donate. I always felt compelled because family members of mine at various points needed blood transfusions and I wanted to give back. Now that I work from home 100% of the time, I guess I should find where I can donate locally. However, I had NO IDEA how big of a business blood donations were. I thought they all just sat in some fridge somewhere, ready to be used when someone got into a car accident or something like that. Based on this video, I don't live near a plasma center, so I can't get paid. But damn, now I feel stupid just giving my blood/plasma for free.

[@0hermitworm]

Not all blood is exploited like that. But blood does go bad so it can't just sit on the shelf somewhere forever.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

@JP S Yeah, I think the smart way to do it would be to set up a tent periodically at a big supermarket and while one person buys the groceries, the other donates. Something like that. I think people don't mind donating, but it has to fit within their lifestyle.

[@user-ic1ii7ky8p]

Donating plasma is another thing entirely. The needle they use is much bigger, and you can have huge bruises for days to weeks after. Much bigger than the bruises you’d get from donating blood. Also, there can be pretty alarming side effects- please look them up before you try to donate plasma. Not everyone qualifies and donating plasma can sap your energy for days. There’s a reason why they pay for it, and I think they should continue to but it makes me sad that things are so bad here for working class people that we have to resort to doing stuff like that just to get by. Our social safety net is abysmal

[@cheyenne3603]

I Can't Believe This is Real Life,Another person's blood doesn't belong in a Another Person's Body this thing called Life is Kind of Unreal you know like Type of Stuff like this man come on man Really why would I put someone's else DNA in My DNA that's really nasty your mixing someone else's blood with your blood that right there is Disgusting

[@saramoran3961]

I donated plasma for several years until I started having cramps in my legs and feet when donating. It definitely helped supplement my income when I was a single mom in college.

[@otpays8552]

you mean pay for drugs?

[@lilcomment1946]

@@otpays8552 Motherless behavior

[@mehere8038]

I'd love to hear what happens from someone who's had problems like this, but then has a long break & then tries again. I wonder if they would be completely fine if doing it at more reasonable intervals

[@GrandChessboard]

I worked for Grifols for years. One of the worst companies out there. The starting pay is like 18.30 an hour for a testing technologist with a college degree. They stopped giving raises, used the money to monopolize the donor centers and would tell us since we did not make the medicine, we were a cost to the company. We tested the plasma and serum for HIV, HCV and HBS but since that cost money to keep patents safe we were considered a burden. I'm glad they are falling apart and being taken over. In-and-Out Burger pays the same wages, paper hats and all...

[@therealdeal9243]

I was in the blood business for ten years and I agree

[@GrandChessboard]

@Taqeem Hilton Lol, no the testing labs are not located there. Why?

[@omegabat3986]

Yeah terrible did medical we had to do some sketchy things to push people through

[@ricardoxavier827]

I am A negative and i give blood since 2005. We dont get money in back here, thats ilegal, we have another public health benefits, and we can only give blood each 3 months, because our science says that less than that time, its very bad for our health. So, who is wrong? Government owned public universal health system doctors, or private for profit doctors? Giving blood 2 times a week in USA, and here they protect our health not allowing more than 4 gives a year... USA is a falling nation.

[@BrianJones1120]

Wow, someone didn't get employee of the month and never got over it. I assume you are young? Look, when adults talk about business... there are income or revenue aspects of the p&l statement, and everything that doesn't fall into income is a cost. So when the adults were talking about important things within ear shot of you, what they were saying is that they have to keep operating cost as low as possible because that is why the company pays them. What they said when you weren't around, I am guessing, is that you personally were a burden, and would be glad when they were rid of you.

[@Dorian803]

I live in Canada, and I started donating blood as soon as I could to the government agency. After graduating from university I had trouble earning rent even with 2 jobs. I found out I could instead sell my plasma to a private company. I did that to get through a few tough months, which meant I had to stop donating during that time. I was always dehydrated and my brain felt fuzzy. Once I landed a better job, I stopped selling and began to feel better. I haven't donated or sold since.

[@derrekvanee4567]

Who will pay you in cansda? As soemone on disability for being blind alow and dumb if I was closer to the border is go.get my 30 bucks a couole times a month.

[@bumpydevoshire1067]

Can you still get money for donating plasma in canada?

[@christinaflores6016]

@@bumpydevoshire1067 no

[@kellharris2491]

The dehydration and loss of plasma can cause some people to have dangerous mood drops. It can exacerbate depression. People aren't all aware of it.

[@seaofroses8888]

I was very close to selling plasma. The only reason I didn’t is because when I went, they asked for proof of address, which I didn’t have on me.

[@juliedahl1892]

How come they don’t even take the time to study the effects of giving Plasma so often???

[@0hermitworm]

Why would they when it means people might stop or donate less often? 😟

[@analiliaarellano4940]

I'm pretty sure they know about the effects, but of course they won't say it Because this is all about money$$$$$.

[@planetjanet3845]

‘As a millennial, it didn't make sense to just edit this story without going and donating blood myself.’ Uh… what?

[@flilguy]

Sort of sad that 30 some years ago I didn't know what Generation X was. I was simply a younger person. Is ageism just as bad as racism?

[@honeybeejourney]

That doesn't make sense.

[@who7835]

I remember the first time I felt like being a good citizen and donated blood. Walked into a filthy place full of homeless people, and they handed me $20 at the end. I was very confused and also didn't like the process, cleanliness and finding out from someone who worked at Red Cross and this video that they actually sell the blood so I won't be a part of a system for profit.. donation should mean someone who can't afford it and needs it, and not only who can afford it and needs it.

[@leonidas14775]

I'd rather pay for blood than die because there's a law against selling blood. Same for organ transplants.

[@who7835]

@@leonidas14775 buy whomever's blood that wants to sell it and leave our donated blood for whoever can't afford it.

[@Avantime]

Next time go to a clinic in a rich neighborhood, preferably away from any public transport hubs and far away from homeless people.

[@who7835]

@@Avantime I'm sure where I live the price of housing is three times higher than where you are, these places aren't designed for the rich, and if you get out of your place once in a while you would know.

[@Avantime]

@@who7835 From where I live, people don't get paid to give blood. So none of this dystopian nonsense as illustrated in this video. All I'm saying is if one were to donate blood in America, if he/she go into a blood clinic in a poor neighborhood his/her chances of encountering homeless people rises very significantly. Donating blood is a good thing for society, but people shouldn't feel unsafe in clinics.

[@shitmypants5275]

In America, everything is business lol even lives

[@eric4946]

Is business life or is life business . The idea that you shouldn’t do a cost benefit is silly. 10 people shouldn’t give their life’s work to save one persons life because you can’t put a price on saving someone.

[@michaelbishop3439]

It's really obscenely disgusting if you ask me.

[@Joe-bs6hd]

"In america" tell me you're living in a fantasy world with your eyes closed oblivious to everything without telling me"

[@carsonhoover5767]

Just like cancer, why cure an illness when you can make billions treating the symptoms. USA business practices are so corrupt

[@shitmypants5275]

"GreAtEst CouNtRy In ThE WorLd" lmao

[@yaqoobalmontaser9718]

Back when I was younger and naïve I donated blood and plasma, but over time I started getting a little suspicious about what they do with the blood and plasma. And this report confirmed some of my suspicions. I’m never donating again, I don’t wanted to used by For-Profit companies.

[@enrip4017]

Sounds kinda fishy to me. In a few decades we will be reading about what they are actually doing with the blood.

[@eileencoulter6263]

Drinking it .

[@Helaw0lf]

Giving it to the rotten elite class so they live forever and rule over us with iron hands.

[@queenofthepalette2074]

Spot on! That’s why I’m not a donor. I believe they use it for spiritual practices , rituals, etc.

[@Purplepinkmom]

@@queenofthepalette2074 I agree whole-heartedly with you.

[@nazishs.8327]

@@queenofthepalette2074 so could that have any spiritual effects on the donor (I mean, it is the donor's blood afterall) ? Just wondering

[@randy7928]

It's a multi-billion dollar export industry, but people are donating pints of it for free?

[@olgaycelik2631]

Foods,rents.all other expenses have been rising since the war has started. People are donating blood not to save lives they are doing that because of saving their own life.

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

Cost of living had been going up faster than wages. Economists have been saying for years there is no affordable housing in America's. What were seeing now is the by product of a global disaster

[@brendahines4153]

It is spiritually unwise and even traumatizing to the soul for the donors ❤

[@brandonburnham7831]

I once asked a blood donation van worker where exactly my blood went, they told me to save lives. I asked physically where it went, they didn’t know. I asked if it would be used to generate profit for a corporation, and they didn’t know. They did not get my blood

[@dentatusdentatus1592]

I tried donating once. The lady missed my vein and stabbed a ligament in my arm instead. Never again.

[@Magnum2PI]

try it again, people need it

[@mandomaxx]

@Dentatus Dentatus I agree with you. A phlebotomy missed my vein during a donation two years ago and kept trying multiple times to get it right. I was eventually turned away. No apology or callbacks later. My arm still hurts even as I write this message.

[@GeadheadNV]

They just opened up another plasma center by me. Guess the neighborhood has really gone down. Pays $1100 first month then $800 after plus random bonuses from the app. Been an expensive year so I'm tempted.

[@kamilareeder1493]

Imagine literally needing to SELL YOUR BLOOD just to not be homeless and hungry. Its actually not good for you 👀☝️☝️ to be perpetually short on blood. Its not sustainable as income imo

[@BrianJones1120]

I am surprised that people find is shocking that people are having such a struggle that they sell blood to help get by. People also sell sperm, eggs, they rent out their bodies to carry other babies to term... Others rent themselves out by the hour for others physical pleasure, and I am pretty sure that I am barely scratching the surface as to what all goes on. Hunger and lack of shelter can be one hell of a motive to do anything to survive trust me, I know first hand, I was homeless for almost a year and it was insane. I saw true evil in people during that time, they want what they want and they will pay you to get it but I wouldnt really call it helping people... Some of them were sick and wanted just fowl things, I still cant forget some things I did to get through that time. Trust me I wish I could and I have tried, but I know that I will always have the memories of reducing my worth to nothing for 40 bucks and another day of survival. I dont know what would have happened to me if I hadnt met those demonic people with the sick offers, I guess I would have died or ended up in prison? The struggle is real and people suffer everyday, it is everywhere, just look around you.

[@carlramirez6339]

I used to do plasma donations because I could do it frequently. Until one day, they botched it and I wasn't allowed to donate for 4 months. They told me that I should just donate whole blood from then on, since my O+ blood is more useful as whole blood than as plasma.

[@frankthefkintank]

"more useful" meaning that they can turn it into more profitable products.

[@mramerica4749]

O+ here and lining big pharmas pocket, it’s funny how that triggers these people. Lol

[@kenxiong6830]

Wealthy people don’t have time or the desire to donate blood. For the poor, it’s an easy way to make money to help them get through tough times

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

That is wrong. In Britain we do it for free and the people who give blood are respectable healthy people with a social conscience. Homosexuals and those with tattoos are discouraged from being donors.

[@someoneinthecrowd4313]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 Yeah and then you import from the US where the people are compensated for it.

[@kenxiong6830]

@@celtspeaksgoth7251 if the Brit’s are donating solely based off of Social conscience then I see why there’s a shortage of blood in Britain. A person may only donate a few times in their lifetime for free. Allowing incentives is what keeps the majority of the blood banks supplied with blood.

[@davidstrong7854]

I quit giving blood because they are selling it but want it for free.

[@GadgetBeat30]

@Taqeem Hilton 30 for the first time, 60 the next. 900 if ur new

[@leonidas14775]

So patients should die due to shortage instead of pay for blood?

[@ricardoxavier827]

I am A negative and i give blood since 2005. We dont get money in back here, thats ilegal, we have another public health benefits, and we can only give blood each 3 months, because our science says that less than that time, its very bad for our health. So, who is wrong? Government owned public universal health system doctors, or private for profit doctors? Giving blood 2 times a week in USA, and here they protect our health not allowing more than 4 gives a year... USA is a falling nation.

[@GoshRae]

@@leonidas14775 the people who need it have to pay for it but the people who give it are expected to give it for free?

[@leonidas14775]

@@GoshRae Sounds like what's happening now

[@ytb3748]

I'm an O negative and I would NEVER EVER donate blood unless it is for someone I know very well who I care about and needs it SO badly.

[@tashalynn29]

That.

[@Psychol-Snooper]

What a humanitarian! XD

[@tashalynn29]

@@andromedakrull5239 the OP probably means because of the way the labs, hospitals, etc beg and beg for blood to be donated then it it turned around and sold for profit.

[@ytb3748]

@@andromedakrull5239 Sure thing, I have a reason to believe they do trade donors' blood

[@jupiterstone827]

The biggest concern for me is that I'm donating from my body, for it to be sold. That's terrible.

[@monachaalida-ul7nf]

True

[@amutah8063]

I would be more than happy to donate blood or plasma if it were free and nobody except the patients were benefiting from it, but as with everything else in America, the companies involved make lot of money from this.

[@demenster7279]

Ya. Why would I donate blood when i can sell it since its being sold either way and If i need it in the future I have to pay anyway?

[@Sho-td8wg]

It would be nice but I'd there's no profit it won't happen. For example the waning supply of generic meds because they are too low profit to make.

[@PleaseNameHere]

Have you tried donating directly to your local hospital? I work in a non profit hospital blood bank in California and I believe blood donated directly within our donor center is cheaper than buying from our supplier. Most hospitals end up buying from suppliers because the there just aren't enough local donors to fulfill the need.

[@amutah8063]

@@PleaseNameHere And that's the problem! they should not allow these plasma centers to exist so people would just go to hospitals and donate blood and plasma for free. Now patients pay a lot of money and donors get peanuts and only plasma centers make the most money. It's ridicules!

[@PleaseNameHere]

@@amutah8063 most of those plasma centers that pay actually sell to pharmaceutical companies who sterilize the plasma and separate it into different products. Local hospitals can't pay because our products go directly into the patient. There's a high risk of people hiding their infectious disease status or other disqualification to get the money so it's been banned. Fun fact: your whole blood typically gets split into packed red blood cells and plasma because its safer for the patient to just get what they need (like blood only or plasma only) since each product has different use cases!

[@randomstuff-qu7sh]

I've never been paid for my blood. I just donated because I felt it was the right thing to do. I'm not able to donate much recently due to donation places just being too far away. They text and phone to try to entice me to donate, but its a 100 mile drive and I'd have to miss work to do it.

[@holyspiritofyah]

I specifically asked the nurse once when donating plasma about the certification and ability of the phlebotomists because I was concerned about hematomas, etc. And was told not to worry. The nurse jabbed me, kept it in and re-directed twice, puncturing my vein, which caused it to blow out. She then had her coat on within 5 minutes and was gone to lunch. I asked the next nurse why the plasma was drawing so slow. Instead of checking on me, she simply said, your bloods too fatty. Another five minutes go by and I ask again why it's not moving. She finally came to check and my inner arm and black and blue and ballooning. They then tried to negate and disqualify my promo for the day. You better believe I won my money. I also had a panic attack in the car and never went back. I dont care how much money these places pay you, it's just too dangerous now. People dont gaf.

[@raphael52]

It's beyond me why people would donate blood or plasma for such little money or a "cookie"?! Especially when hospitals charge the patient an arm and a leg. As for those saying "you are saving lives". Your respond should be, "i am trying to but you don't want to pay me." These places like hospitals make millions and billions a year "saving lives". Why are you only getting a "cookie"? No to donating blood or organs!!!!

[@richy6367]

You absolutely right about that plus if you pass out and need to go to emergency, and you be charge for that if you have no insurance

[@ramprasada2682]

This is a big surprise to me as USA has such huge blood collection for medical purposes. I think donating blood plasma twice a week not a good practice. In India people donate blood for free in most of the cases. And Doctors suggest to donate blood once in three months for good reason.

[@ziggystardust7888]

Think !!! All people that had CV Vaccines !!! That's. Contaminated BLOOD !!! 0 is what they want !!! It's universal !!!

[@kamilareeder1493]

Right. Its not healthy to literally be short on blood 24/7 like I can't beleive they are in any doubt that someone constantly losing blood is bad for your health long term

[@evettc7887]

donated plasma montly because it's a good thing and the gift cards I receive pays for my families groceries. It's a fair trade for my time and plasma. I personally don't experience any ill affect but know your limits some can only do once a week not twice.

[@yeti8631]

Blood taken from medical trips isn't reused.

[@ulyanaliutarevich8131]

It’s because you are donating plasma not blood. You can only donate blood once every 2 months. So if during your plasma donation they can’t return your blood they will give you a warning that if it happens one more time in the next 2 months then they will be deferred for 2 months

[@Ryan.zelenski]

I would be more willing to take off work early to donate blood if I actually got paid for it

[@congresssux9766]

That wouldn’t be a “donation” now would it?

[@Ryan.zelenski]

@@congresssux9766 true! 🤦‍♂️ 😁 Well then I'd be willing to take off work early to sell my blood ig. Or they could just have some blood drives that are open til 7 or on a weekend..

[@XtarShoter]

The problem is, they are making profit of our 'donation' in compensation for nothing. Constant harassment over the phone and 'lac of supply' yet no one has thought of maybe incentivizing it with some money ? Its about keeping the supply low. High demand and low supply... eco 101

[@Ryan.zelenski]

@@XtarShoter yeah I honestly had to block their number cause they called so often

[@Magnum2PI]

the compensation is your saving someone's life

[@FoxEyes]

My friend whose been waiting for a liver transplant for over 3 years relying on plasma every week in order to survive. In thee end I've been donating plasma for 3 years even with my well paying job. So it's definitely needed and saves lives 💯.

[@LD-kk6gh]

Thanks for this, there’s some many negative comments; as someone who could very easily die without a weekly treatment I get as the result of a medicine derived from blood plasma I understand the value, people aren’t going to donate enough to make the medicine some of us need to survive without some sort of compensation. That said I don’t wholly agree with the process but I greatly appreciate everyone who donates, for free or for pay.

[@LD-kk6gh]

Also thanks for donating 🙌🏻 people like you save lives

[@frankthefkintank]

Does the blood you donate go to your friend, or does it get shipped overseas for profit?

[@LD-kk6gh]

@@frankthefkintank what does it matter? Almost all plasma is processed overseas. The medication I need for survival comes from plasma donations here that are shipped overseas for processing into different medications & then shipped back here in their specific form...

[@hi-tych]

So, this is why I get 3 calls a day about my blood donations. I've stopped because I knew something was fishy about them begging me about it. I won't donate blood unless it's a love one.

[@darknlovelyslg]

I've tried donating blood and plasma. I didn't have the best experiences, even passed out towards the end plasma donation. Although I could've earned $600+ a month for donating plasma, The risk of another incident is not worth it.

[@LilPoopsie]

Every time they stick you, your veins start scarring over.

[@darknlovelyslg]

@@LilPoopsie Yeah...I realized that may be an issue after a couple of times. Plus, my incident happened on my 3rd donation and called it quits. It is why I said I tried to donate. 😉

[@TheWorldofSam]

Wait... You want people to donate blood, but then go on the sell the blood? Lol.

[@Anita-k]

Unpopular opinion: Had life changing accident I didn't want to survive (if given the choice), been medically experimented on without knowledge and/or consent, got blood I didn't want and argued with the doctors, got hepatitis C from it ... wish the hospital would've run out of blood in my case that day, honestly. They didn't even admit, it's hep C, but wrote "non a non b" into my hospital files instead. Turned out, there's something called "incubation period" in which they can't detect the disease (and likely other ones as well); that's what they forgot to tell in this video! Now I've a DNR/DNI order, that didn't exist back then (not even the laws for it existed). Won't get me into a hospital alive again.

[@mehere8038]

Not about admitting you had hep c, back in the era when they didn't screen the blood for it, it hadn't actually been isolated as hep c & was simply called non hep a, non hep b hepititis, cause they couldn't tell if it was c, d, e, f etc etc, that came later

[@Anita-k]

@@mehere8038 No, here in Austria it's been called hepatitis C before I came into the hospital for several years, most people knew about it. Doctors were just bs-ing around - I know it's been called "non a non b" at least for some 5 years before that, bc later on I looked it up on Google - but not at this point anymore. Even the nurses had called it hepatitis C, they only wrote the older version into my papers for some unknown reason. I even had to go to the public health officer ~10 years later on and the doctor there asked me, why nobody had reported my disease (bc there's a duty to report this contagious disease), I told what happened and the office never bothered me again; I had the feeling this wasn't unusual at all.

[@Anita-k]

@@mehere8038 No it was already called that way for at least 5 years.

[@hou5eheadjason]

I did it once volunteer and man I wish we would get paid for it , they took so much blood from me , im 0+ type and it felt like I came out of a surgery when I was done , felt like I was cold and getting hazy during the extraction like I was about to pass out , I was able to walk out of there 30 min later but man I dont see how people do this on the regular I know its for a good cause but

[@chandelleloop1879]

Actually one of the main reasons I stopped donating blood, I was able to have a local blood bank before that kept the blood regional but no longer have that choice.

[@zmelli]

What happens if a vaccinated person gives blood to an un-vaccinated person. Does the un-vaccinated become technically vaccinated?

[@kenlewis2253]

This concerns me.

[@anakarina1011]

Yup probably- don’t get foreign peoples blood in yoi

[@user-pi1jf2fu3f]

You will transfer some antibodies to the unvaccinated person but since no immune response related to the virus/bacteria you want to be immuned to has been done, your body won't be able to produce its own antibodies. So the person won't get vaccinated.

[@ziggystardust7888]

SCARY !!!!!!

[@antonijaume8498]

zmelli, no. You do not get vaccinated from blood from someone vacinated, it would rather be like a serum injection.

[@miki_mochi]

They used to run a blood drive at my school once a year. It was great because the students were just happy to get free cookies and the chance to get out of a few classes but beyond that, you were more likely to try it if your friends were doing it which meant it exposed more people to donating blood who might not have otherwise AND it gave you the chance to experience it and see if it was for you or not. Some people didn't like it and that's fine but I found a lot of people didn't think it was nearly as bad as they thought it would be. And so, you'd feel more confident to continue doing it in the future. I'm not sure if they still do these at schools regularly or not but I always thought it was a great way to get the younger people to give it a try and maybe continue doing it in the future. THAT SAID, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth to see them taking blood for free often times and then turning it over for big profits........

[@Queenofthatank]

A kid caught aids from the tech at the last blood drive i remember my school holding the creepy part is they would hound the ones with O blood type into donating blood. I was harassed every year till i told them how TF do you know my blood type if i don't even know my blood type?! Why do YOU have to harass me to donate?! I already said "NO! My mom told y'all since i was 14 that i wasn't gonna donate n y'all think that now that I'm 18 I'ma go against my religion!?" They still kept harassing me. I told them "If you come near me again I'm going to attack you. You're now considered a stalker. As an American i have the right to defend myself against someone tryna assault me. What you're attempting to do now constitutes as attempted assault." They finally backed off once my mom came n said "I'll post her bail. N if she kills you I'ma still post bail."

[@orangutantapioca1530]

@@Queenofthatank That’s a really good story you’ve written except that none of it is actually possible. No one has ever gotten aids from donating blood. People did get HIV from receiving blood decades ago, but that’s unheard of today. As for your talk with the telerecruiters, you’re saying you committed assault (assault = threat of violence) against someone over the phone and they were so scared you’d go through with it that they stopped calling? Did you tell them you’d jump through the phone, or that you were able to teleport some other way? You can’t actually hurt someone over the phone. Why you gotta be lying?

[@Shaolin91z]

Lol 😂⬆️

[@june2420111]

Wow these companies have figured out how to get their raw materials for free by asking people to "donate" and then sell it for profit. Amazing, how is this legal???

[@stackchn]

I stopped donating when they made me sign a waiver that my blood donation may not go to a patient but could go to a lab for research. And Jason the outbreak of monkeypox is exactly why they restrict donation from those who engage in risky behavior regardless of their sexual orientation.

[@bharathkarthikeyan6140]

MonkeyPox isn't a STD. It spreads through close physical contact. The initial outbreak started from a group of gays and guess who will they socialize with the most? Other gays. If the initial outbreak was from, let's say a group of straight men, they would have socialized with other straight people thus leading to increased cases among straight men and women. Will you imply then that Straights have a risky behaviour? Stop jumping to conclusions based on your prejudice

[@mehere8038]

It does make more sense though to assess it individually rather than as groups though doesn't it. I mean if it's a woman who's slept with 10 bi men in the previous week, I'm going to say they're a lot higher risk than Jason who would need for his partner to have cheated on him to be at risk

[@MsBaztastic]

Have a true, open, honest system where a person can donate blood to themselves and after a certain period of time, that blood can go into the general supply.

[@matthewmitchell68]

It’s kind of hard since blood can go bad after a period of time. It’s like saying your going to save organic milk.

[@randomstuff-qu7sh]

I believe one can sort of do that. For instance, with some surgeries, patients do have the option of donating blood for use during that surgery.

[@thechosenone1533]

@@matthewmitchell68 Maybe it could be like an account. You donate some now and when you need it you get some back for free.

[@Jimraynor45]

But if it's a open system, then you will have a bunch a people insisting their blood only goes to help people they want. That will mean black people wont get the blood the need.

[@porcorosso4330]

@@Jimraynor45 Maybe each location can get certified that they serve local needs first for certain period of time before they send the blood else where for profit or on need basis..

[@nightstar1219]

Donating can make me very tired for like a week, knowing how it's a product has made me stop donating completely.

[@MrTwenty20video]

I appreciate your work. It's a good topic and was covered very well.

[@xcw4934]

One of the reasons most nations don't allow paid donations is because altruism research (a field of behavioural economics) shows that if you pay people nothing, a certain base level of donors will come forward for intrinsic reasons. If you pay people even $1 for their donation (cookie gifts etc are fine but cash hard NO) you lose over half of the intrinsically motivated donors. They don't feel good anymore as it's a monetary transaction and they also think their contribution is less necessary as clearly if the clinics are paying then there must be a market efficiently making sure there are enough donors without their charity. If you want to let clinics pay for blood you have to pay a not insubstantial amount just to induce enough (mostly lower socioeconomic people) to replace the people you would have had for free. If you want MORE than the amount you would have gotten for free, then you need to pay and you need to pay a fairly reasonable amount.

[@chocomilo1628]

The thing is, the good ol usa capitalize the whole blood industry not just the donor process; imagine paying 900 buck just to get a whole blood, when in other country they are free.

[@joygibbons5482]

Agreed. I donate whole blood, O negative, in the UK. I get a thank you, a drink and a biscuit afterwards if I want afterwards but would be less motivated to donate if I was offered payment.

[@yuppers1]

This is usually true. But you only need to tell the altruistic people that their sacrifice of time and blood that they're giving for free will be sold at a profit, that knowledge will also drive them away.

[@ralphangel561]

I just don't trust anything dealing with medical care and pharmaceutical. It's too concerning.

[@daynadaily8073]

I donated many times.. then i was told i cant anymore (health reasons).. i ended up needing blood when i coded during surgery yrs later. So grateful for that donor.

[@maivaj3759]

Man, that old lady had the guts to say young people are not donating blood and that they're not picking up the slack.

[@martareitmajer]

My blood is very valuable. You want it you better pay up. Thankss

[@brookmiller9806]

The Red Cross app does tell you where your blood donation is sent to. I have been fortunate to have very few bad experiences in my 30 years of donating. I will continue donating as long as I can in memory of family and friends who have desperately needed a blood infusion at certain points in their lives.

[@pattyspanker8955]

Thank you for donating, Brook. Surely you've helped many with chronic conditions necessitating routine transfusions or even some in trauma situations. That's a wonderful sentiment.

[@NonnofYobiznes]

I can't imagine donating anywhere else but at the Red Cross

[@thelionsleepstonight275]

I have never donated blood. And I told my young adult children since they were in high school to never donate their blood or bone marrow. Ever. These blood/plasma centers are parasites.

[@lolat7355]

Blood meant for transfusion in the USA is donated, not sold. It is, in fact, illegal to compensate donors with anything that can be converted to cash. Plasma meant for further manufacture is sold. The seller knows this, and agrees to the terms. This report is misleading by implying that blood donation and plasma sale are interchangeable: they are not.

[@isaaciverson7155]

Why is it legal to be compensated for platelets but not whole blood? I've always been confused about this. I donate blood every 4 months but it would be nice to get a little kick back from the gas and time I spend.

[@PleaseNameHere]

I've never heard of anyone being compensated for platelets beyond the same nominal gift for donating blood. The reason why is these units go directly into patients and they don't want the risk of someone hiding their infectious disease status and potentially giving it to a patient (ie Hepatitis, HIV, etc.). You may be talking about plasma donations (which they do pay for). Plasma from the centers that pay you typically sell your plasma to pharmaceutical companies that split it into many different products. The pharm companies, during the manufacturing process, essentially sterilize the plasma that you donate which makes it less risky to allow them to pay.

[@xungnham1388]

It is legal to pay for blood. No one does it because it would attract all the druggies to "donate" unusable blood as well as people to lie on the questionnaire.

[@Violet-qf8dr]

Well, pretty much everyone I know who donates plasma has drug issues. I do know a few college students who aren't druggies, but they are the exception, not the rule.

[@nickns732]

@@xungnham1388 I know several druggies that donate blood. They always say they feel great after donating because they’re getting rid of all their bad drug blood lmao.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Thanks for donating!

[@elisaarasa1576]

They can donate twice a week???!!? That is just crazy

[@Grefareal]

in japan you can only do 1 whole blood donation every 4 months, crazy they just 'milk' human blood for profit like that in us

[@beardedgaming3741]

Me and a good friend of mine decided to donate plasma Maybe 10 years ago now. We thought it was something that could help out people and catch a little bit of extra cash in the mornings before we started our jobs. I've never weighed over 120 lb in my life so I didn't get paid the maximum amount but it was all right, I probably donated for the better part of a year and a half but it took a lot of effort to work around my schedule for it because if you didn't get to that clinic as soon as they opened, the amount of Riff Raff there and just the Shady things going on outside by the clientele really made it to where you didn't want to be around there. The only time I ever had complications with it was when some new Apprentice nurse couldn't get the needle in, that was more of an annoyance. And then I had gone to donate after a fairly heavy weekends night of drinking. My blood came out fairly gelatin like... it took more than double the usual time and on my jog home it was a little more exerting.

[@FilterExel]

And here I was led to believe that donating your blood was a charitable act. Now I know they are merely harvesting humans for profit. I was on the fence about donating before, but now there's no way. This corruption is inexcusable. No amount of shaming or guilting is getting me to do it now.

[@rhondasplace3529]

I know of unhealthy, drug addicts that go give blood on a regular basis here in DFW. There's no way the blood facility doesn't know because they do drugs on a regular basis. This makes me terrified to ever need blood. They have health problems high blood pressure, diabetes,COPD and extremely obese. So I wonder just how unhealthy you have to be? Tfs

[@jennifergarza7766]

Blood is screened afterward for those exact reasons.

[@ayemiksenoj5254]

America having a hard time getting the next generation to donate is a joke... They companies themselves are making the requirements for donors more rigorous and stringent which will detour potential donors or worse yet, be a reason some may lie because they need the extra income. On top of that you really don't make enough to make donating worthwhile. $400-500 a month on average past the first month's big payout isn't even pennies on the dollar for what companies make selling the blood. On top of that, yes it's good that the money isn't taxed, but you also won't be able to use it as viable income so if you're trying to add the $400-500 to your regular pay to secure housing, transportation, or most loans ... You can't. An for some that's actually why they want to donate in the first place.

[@lamirranee6997]

I like how the lady at the end just threw all that dirt in the faces of it's primary donors that make plasma donations, regularly. If the concern about sickle cell carriers is too great then simply stop putting your donation centers in black communities.*Problem solved*👍I bet you won't 🕊

[@spiritualservicesgodbless7641]

Thank you for the video.

[@HelloNotMe9999]

I am O negative universal donor), CMV (Cytomedlovirus) negative, meaning my blood can go to both trauma units and neo-natal care units. You want some? Pay me 75% of the $500 you charge me (per pint) when I need it in a hospital. When I got hit by a car (through no fault of my own) and needed it, I had to pay $3000, despite having donated a full pint every 8 weeks for nearly 20 years. I’m done.

[@aubreysnyder338]

650 to 700 dollars a month for donating plasma? Yeah total bs. The max that can be made at BioLife or CSL in Missouri is $200 a month

[@jaklg7905]

Same in NE. You can only donate so often and they don't pay that much.

[@macavelli8905]

Wow great job and excellent video very informative...

[@NoIDontActuallyLiveInSeattle]

And people are complaining that they’re not getting paid comparative to what they’re selling the blood for…I think the issue is why is blood going for such high prices???

[@michaelfried3123]

they want our blood, our food and our oil...how about we start saying no and take care of our own here first? what's wrong with these greedy companies?

[@QuintonRC23]

Fast money

[@nnoo6227]

I have been wanted to donate blood for years… turned out 15 years ago I was in Europe, something to do with Mad Cow disease…but that’s enough for them to turn me down ☹️

[@vylbird8014]

BSE was really not as big as the panic suggests . The outbreak was in the UK, but once detected was swiftly addressed - though new cases continued to be diagnosed for a decade, because it has a long incubation period. The bans were more due to protectionist trade policies - countries in Europe seized upon it as an excuse to ban beef from the UK, and so benefit their own farmers.

[@a.l1249]

Check again. They relaxed that rule at the beginning of the pandemic. I couldn't donate in the past too for the "sin" of growing up in Europe. Now I can. They narrowed the limitations to specific years, length of stay and a handful of countries.

[@SERGIO-cr6uy]

1950 = they want our money 2020 = they want our blood 2050 = they want our soul

[@monanoorchaalida4462]

??

[@honeybeejourney]

@@monanoorchaalida4462 You don't get this comment? Become educated. Research. Feel sorry for you.

[@alpal87]

Cause people can’t give blood with the jab and we were all forced and the pure bloods are holding onto their blood

[@downrightmike]

Probably going to need to up the pay, given the crazy margins, if you want more people. We can track produce to the farmer who made it, we can certainly do that with blood/plasma. and then people get a cut of what was made.

[@saumitrachakravarty]

In my country, the voluntary blood donation pool, while still inadequate, have managed to set up a system where the donor is matched directly with the recipient. No way for the middleman to profit from this. However, there is also a for-profit blood bank industry but people generally avoid those unless it is a matter of life and death while the voluntary sector cannot meet the demand. Unfortunately, that kind of crisis is common which makes the for-profit industry exist. It must be noted that the for-profit industry outlets must employ a full-time board-certified transfusion medicine specialist physician to oversee the whole process in terms of donor care and quality control. The flip side is, the price there is unregulated. So there is exploitation.

[@abigailr3250]

May I ask what country this is? Or the region? I am curious what different blood donation systems look like around the world

[@saumitrachakravarty]

@@abigailr3250 This is Bangladesh.

[@segunonanuga]

I donated COVID-19 convalescent plasma till I was told that my antibody level was no longer high enough to donate. I felt great doing it, maybe I should look into whole blood donation as well.

[@juamiglio]

I used to donate blood many times a year, I also am an organ donor. Now because of the overturn of Roe V Wade I am removing my organ donor status and I will no longer donate blood

[@RichieRich7339]

I hate needles and this video reinforces why I won't go donate blood. Thanks for the help 😊

[@jamesnichols270]

Thanks for watching and commenting...... ☎️ Hit me up on my helpline 👆👆.

[@Lucas-dw4ws]

I feel off after each donation. It don't feel normal but times are real hard, it's desperation for the little money after the first donor special runs out.

[@nathansamuelson]

7:33 that map only really tells you 2 things. 1). The donation centers mainly follow population, which makes sense. 2). The US has more widespread poverty than I'd assume most Americans realize.

[@rachelkrumpelman5131]

Every time I tried to donate blood they see my tattoos and basically turn me away. I haven't gotten a new tattoo in years. I assumed they would just take the blood and test it before it's on the market. Don't they test all blood?

[@Aqui77aO]

They’re supposed to. They’re also supposed to ask when you had your last one…