BLOOD DRIVE: How to help others while earning money?

Giving blood is such a delicate matter. The WHO believes this act of goodwill should be voluntary. Nevertheless, some countries, including the US, make compensation for a blood drive. But we do not speak about organizations like Red Cross, which traditionally use donor blood for transfusion, transplantation surgery, etc. It is talked of helping scientific research institutes. With the help of plasma, they develop and produce new pharmaceutical formulations.

The payments vary from $25 to $75 for 1 US pint (or 0.47 L) of blood. It depends on the donation centers and their conditions/benefits/privileges. For instance, some organizations provide extras for regular or initial donors.

Keep in mind that all the blood groups — A, B, AB, O — are paid equally. What objectively matters is the rhesus factor blood group (Rh). It is up to it to avoid unwanted reactions during childbirth or transfusion. Rh is subdivided into two types: Rh-positive and Rh-negative. The latter has a lack of A antigen and is rarer. According to it, the blood with Rh-negative usually has a higher pay.

All in all, minimal monthly payment opens at $160 and reaches $500, including special offers. It all depends on the blood donation center and the frequency of blood giving. Plasmapheresis needs a short period for regeneration — the blood giving is allowed twice per week. And besides, it is possible to provide a liter of plasma at a time.

The habitual algorithm of payment for the blood drive, used by blood centers, is the application of reloaded debit cards. You start making use of it promptly post-donating.

Where can you give your blood for money?

As mentioned above, not all blood collection centers provide payments for donation, although there are more than 400 licensed plasma banks. So if it is a thing of great moment for you, find out more information about your local donor centers. Here is the list of the most famous companies that pay for blood plasma:

  • Biotest;
  • Biolife;
  • BPL Plasma;
  • CSL Plasma;
  • Octapharma Plasma;
  • Yale Plasma.

Does blood donation is suitable for you?

There are not many requirements for a donor. Here are the most prevalent:

  • Age from 18 (some states permit from 16 with the consent of parents) to 67;
  • The minimal weight of 110 pounds;
  • A good health condition;
  • Passing a complete medical survey.

Prevailing and potential contraindications to blood donation

The blood may not be safe for transfusion, so there are restrictions in the following cases:

  • Congenital bleeding disorder (Von Willebrand disease, hemophilia, etc.);
  • Positive HIV/AIDS testing;
  • Positive viral hepatitis testing or close contact with the infected person over the last year;
  • Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis) or babesiosis in the medical history;
  • Having a close relative with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (genetically determined CJD) or risk of contracting vCJD;
  • Being a blood recipient in France or the UK during the period from 1980 to the present day;
  • Staying in the UK for several months (three or more) over the period from 1980 to 1996 or remaining in Europe for five years since 1980 (risks of vCJD);
  • Constant medical treatment or taking some medicaments;
  • Using over-the-counter intravenous drugs;
  • Intaking etretinate medications while skin diseases ( for example, psoriasis). It has a teratogenic effect on childbearing.

Usual side effects

There are also side effects observed after the blood collection, such as:

  • Pain in the arm or a bruising on the injection site;
  • Faintness;
  • Giddiness;
  • Queasiness;
  • Issue of blood;
  • Shortness of breath.

Although common side effects are slight, make sure of your state of health and consult with your physician before becoming a blood donor (especially in case you had severe reactions on blood sampling in the medical history).

Donating blood procedure

For visiting a blood donation center or blood donation bank, carry with you items such as:

  • ID card with State-recognized photo or other equivalent documents (passport, student ID, driver’s license, etc.);
  • Blood Donor card (if any);
  • Verified Social Security number or border crossing documents and equivalents;
  • Confirmed permanent place of residence.

After entering a donation center, you are identified and checked in. Next, be ready to pass a personal medical interview or fill out a form with some questions about your medical history, infectious or virus diseases in the past, and current treatment. If you present a Donor ID card, you save your time and avoid bureaucratic formalities. Anyway, a thorough health inspection, comprising blood pressure, hemoglobin and iron levels, temperature measurements, and other donor information like gender, height, weight, age, await you.

Careful preparation is no less significant on the day before giving blood. This process includes these prep measures:

  • Good sleep at night;
  • Drinking plenty of water (nearly 500 ml);
  • Abstaining from any alcohol or caffeine-containing drinks;
  • Eating healthy and balanced nutrition, and reduction of fats in your meals;
  • Taking on loose short-sleeved clothes.

If you are an eligible person, a donor center technician makes a blood draw. There is an opportunity to pick from which hand the blood collection takes place, and you can choose the most comfortable and preferable position of the body. Do not worry because a technician always controls the process. It will not take long — just about 8-10 minutes. But this operation may seem a bit tedious and weary. Yet you have a way out: reading books/magazines, listening to music, scrolling photos on your gadget; even a small talk with a blood bank technician helps you relax. The whole process usually takes 1-2 hours.

Keep a net roller on the arm for about five hours. If it hurts, put some ice on it or take analgetic.

After the blood taking, you may suffer from a slight indisposition. That is because your organism is stressed and weakened. To regain strength:

  • sit for a while (do not start up immediately after the procedure);
  • eat high-carbohydrate food such as muffins, sugary drinks (they help restore glucose level);

drink mineral water (it normalizes a fluid-and-electrolyte balance).

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