While donation rules may vary by country, in general, you can donate plasma as often as twice a week. You can donate this frequently because of a process called plasmapheresis, where a device separates whole blood into cellular components and returns it back into the body³.

Travel to certain countries may prevent you from donating plasma. Check with your donation center if you have any questions on travel-related deferrals. 

The rules for donating plasma after donating blood vary on the type of donation.

• Donors who donate one unit of whole blood will be eligible for plasma donation after 8 weeks (or 56 days) from the date of donation¹⁵.
• Donors who donate a double unit of red cells will be eligible for plasma donation after 16 weeks (or 112 days) from the date of donation¹⁵.

It typically takes about 1.5 –3 hours to donate plasma⁵.

In most cases, you can donate plasma after getting a COVID-19 vaccine if you are symptom-free and feeling well at the time of the donation¹².

Plasma donor eligibility also varies depending upon the type of immunization / vaccination received, the reason for the immunization / vaccination and the presence of any symptoms prior to the plasma donation.

Yes. Screening questions must be asked of all donors at every donation as required by the Food and Drug Administration.

• Get plenty of rest, especially the day/night before you donate.
• Drink plenty of water or other caffeine-free beverages 2-3 hours before your plasma donation appointment and eat a healthy, low-fat meal before you donate.

You should confirm all eligibility requirements with your local donation center, but in general, donors must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Weigh at least 110 pounds
• Pass a medical exam and complete an extensive medical screening, including testing negative for hepatitis and HIV
• If you have recently gotten a tattoo, many countries require a precautionary waiting period of between 6-12 months before donating.
• Follow a recommended diet¹⁶

• A recent piercing may affect your eligibility to donate for a period of four months. You may be eligible to donate if your piercing(s) are older.
• A recent piercing that occurred outside the United States may affect your eligibility to donate for a period of 12 months¹⁷.

Please see your plasma donation center’s website or contact them in order to understand what medical conditions may affect or prevent you from donating plasma.

Plasma can save someone’s life and donors are an essential part of keeping a community healthy. Certain plasma donation centers offer compensation or rewards to donors for their commitment and time. You can check with your local facility to see if they are currently supporting any promotions.

If you drink alcohol on the day you plan to donate (e.g., smell of alcohol on breath or about the person, slurred vocalizations, etc.), you will not be allowed to donate plasma on that day. Alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration as well as lower blood pressure and affect how your body replenishes vital nutrients needed for healthy plasma¹⁸.

• When you donate, you will be asked to provide documentation, and you will need to pass medical exams, screening, and testing before you become eligible to donate. It’s a good idea to check with the specific donation facility to learn the specific requirements for donation ahead of time.
• Once you meet the eligibility requirements of the donation facility, a technician will make sure you are comfortable and clean an area of your arm for the blood draw.
• Your blood will be drawn, and the plasma will be separated from your blood by a machine that collects plasma.
• The other parts of your blood, such as the red blood cells, are returned to your body¹⁸.

• The same federal guidelines for donating blood apply to donating plasma.
• All blood donation collection organizations in the U.S. must follow a federal requirement that states men who have sex with other men (MSM) must wait to donate for three months from their most recent sexual contact. MSM policies were enacted in the 1980s to limit the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS through blood transfusions. Extensive blood screening is now performed on every donation to protect the blood supply. Efforts are underway to reevaluate MSM eligibility criteria¹⁴.

As a global leader in infectious diseases and diagnostics, Abbott instruments screen more than 60 percent of the world’s blood supply, including plasma. As a result of careful donor selection and testing through Abbott’s leadership, thousands of people can rely on plasma-derived therapies every year.