International Plasma Awareness Week 2021: Donate Plasma. Save Lives.
Urgent need for plasma donations as COVID-19 pandemic continues
ANNAPOLIS, Md., Oct. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is proud to mark the launch of the ninth annual International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), which will run from Monday, October 4 until Friday, October 8. Nearly 125,000 people in the U.S. with rare diseases, and countless others facing trauma and emergency medical needs every day, rely on medicines that are only available because of the commitment of dedicated plasma donors. Considering the nearly 20 percent decline in plasma donations seen last year due to the ongoing pandemic, the need for plasma donors is now more urgent than ever before.
Plasma—the straw-colored, liquid portion of blood—contains proteins necessary for carrying out critical functions in the human body, such as antibodies to fight diseases, and clotting factors to regulate bleeding. If an individual has insufficient levels of any one plasma protein, their body cannot carry out these vital functions leading to various serious, chronic, and life-threatening medical conditions.
"Following the significant decline in plasma donations - last year due to the pandemic, we are concerned that donations have not yet rebounded nationwide," said Amy Efantis, PPTA President and CEO. "Unsurprisingly, the clinical need for lifesaving therapies developed from plasma has not dropped proportionately and continues to grow worldwide, putting patients' lives and health in jeopardy. Considering it can take 7-12 months for plasma to be fully manufactured into plasma protein therapies, these declines risk the lives of individuals in every community who rely on these therapies. Every donation helps to save someone's life, so we urge everyone who is able to consider donating plasma," continued Efantis.
PPTA urges all healthy adults, age 18 and over, to consider helping to save someone's life. Please visit www.donatingplasma.org to learn more and to find a donation center near you.
About PPTA
The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA), a global industry trade association, represents the private sector manufacturers of plasma-derived and recombinant analog therapies, collectively known as plasma protein therapies, and the collectors of source plasma used for fractionation. Millions of people use these therapies worldwide to treat a variety of diseases and serious medical conditions. PPTA also administers standards and programs that help ensure the quality and safety of plasma collection and manufacturing, protecting donors and patients.
SOURCE Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA)
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