Plasma
for Life

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The lifesaving impact of plasma donations
Making medications from plasma
The lifesaving impact of plasma donations
Making medications from plasma
Hayden Morrison in purple sweater

The lifesaving impact of plasma donations

“If I could meet a plasma donor, I would say thank you."

Heydan is one of many patients in Canada who depend on medications made from plasma, which are used to help treat a variety of rare, life-threatening, chronic and genetic conditions.

Learn how your plasma donation helps
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Making medications from plasma

From donation to delivery, learn about the rigorous process to make lifesaving medications for patients.

Learn about plasma protein and related products

Am I eligible

Any healthy person who meets the eligibility criteria can donate plasma. To become a plasma donor, having a history of making regular blood donations helps, but is not always necessary. 

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Donating plasma

Learn about how plasma donation works, who can donate, the eligibility requirements, donor and patient safety, FAQs, where to donate and more.  

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How your plasma donation helps

Learn about why it’s important to donate plasma, how your donation helps patients, patient and donor stories/testimonies and more.

Securing Canada’s plasma supply

Learn about the growing need for plasma, our current sufficiency levels and the impact of plasma donors on patients across Canada.

What is plasma?

Plasma is the protein-rich liquid in blood that helps other blood components circulate throughout the body. It supports your immune system and helps control excessive bleeding, which is why plasma donations are important to help treat bleeding disorders, liver diseases and many types of cancer. 

Plasma helps patients with immune deficiencies, rare blood disorders, various cancers, tetanus infections, nervous system disorders, bleeding disorders, kidney and liver diseases, severe burns, surgeries, newborns with Rh disease and much more.

Cayleigh

Donated plasma lifts patient from ‘rock bottom’ to top student

Fanshawe College student in London, Ont., needs plasma-derived medication for an immune disorder

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There are lots of reasons to join Canada’s Lifeline

If every donor in Canada encourages a family member, friend or colleague to join Canada's Lifeline, just imagine the impact it could have on patients across Canada. Get inspired, become a donor and share your reason.

COVID-19 and convalescent plasma

We have been responsible for supplying convalescent plasma to Canadian physicians caring for patients with COVID-19 in the context of three Health Canada approved clinical trials: CONCOR-1, CONCOR-Kids, and REMAP-CAP. A clinical trial is a scientific experiment in which a group of patients are given an experimental treatment to determine whether those patients have better outcomes compared to other patients who don’t receive the experimental treatment.

The Canadian clinical trials are led by principal investigators – scientists – who are external to Canadian Blood Services. The clinical trial investigators have confirmed that they have collected the data needed to complete their research. As such, there is no longer a need to collect convalescent plasma to support these clinical trials. Learn more about these Canadian clinical trials.

The CONCOR-Donor study is another study that is actively recruiting participants. Learn more about the CONCOR-Donor study.