When Blood Donation goes Commercial

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There is no doubt that blood plays an indispensable role in the body of humans and higher animals in general. In simple terms, the liquid helps to transport important materials (such as hormones) from the point of synthesis to the point where they are needed, gets rid of waste from and helps oxygenate cells/tissues, helps maintain normal body temperature, helps the body to fight infections, among several other functions.

Due to these indispensable functions, the right quantity of blood in the body is very essential to life. Normally, the amount of blood in a person's body varies directly with the size/weight of the person. According to research, the quantity of blood in the bodies of adult humans is about 10% of their weight. A significant deviation from the normal body weight-blood ratio will cause a major health-related problem for individuals.

This means that too little or too much blood in the body system is an aberration and a major health issue. Someone with too much blood (polycythemia Vera) may experience fatigue, headache, and dizziness frequently. Other symptoms include occasional bleeding through the nose and gum as well as a heavy menstrual period in the case of women. Too little blood (anemia) may also cause fatigue and dizziness. In extreme cases, both conditions can lead to organ failure and death.

Anecdotally, the incidence of too little blood, however, occurs at a much higher frequency than that of too much blood. This condition may be caused by a host of factors such as genetics (hemophilia), accidents, medical conditions. A visit to nearby hospitals will most likely tell the true story as patients in need of blood usually far outnumber patients suffering from polycythemia who may need to shed some by venipuncture.

image source: pixabay

In recent times, perhaps due to our more sophisticated lifestyles sponsored by technological advancement, there has been an increase in medical cases requiring surgeries. A lot of times, surgery patients require blood transfusions to compensate for what might have been lost to the procedure. Coupling that with a shortage of voluntary blood donors and one would know that the world has got a problem in its hand.

In lieu of the above, it is generally encouraged for people who are medically able to donate blood to do so as this will go a long way to saving lives and reduce the number of patients that require blood transfusions. According to a medical expert Bruce Sachais, most medically fit people can donate whole blood once every 56 days, making an average of 6 times in a year.

Apart from whole blood, other components of blood such as platelets, plasma, and red blood cells can be donated a varied number of times annually.

Going Commercial with Blood Donation

I was a frequent visitor to the hematology unit of one of the most popular teaching hospitals in Nigeria when my son got admitted for malaria and gastroenteritis. Each time I visit, the sight that welcomes me at the phlebotomy unit is usually that of rough-looking, middle-aged, gang-like guys sitting on the bench. The first time I saw them, I took it as a mere coincidence and thought to myself that probably one of their gang members was in need of blood.

When it became a regular sight even at different times, I became convinced that something else was going on then took it upon myself to investigate further. I spoke to one of them in order to get enlightened and the answer he gave threw me off balance.

Apparently, they are commercial blood donors. They come to the phlebotomy unit to donate their blood for some amount of money. Upon further investigation, I realized that they get paid about $5 for each pint of whole blood they can successfully donate. Whereas, this same volume of blood is sold to patients that require transfusion for as high as $40. Who gets the profit? I really wonder!

These guys come to the unit at regular intervals to donate blood for money without any consideration for the maximum number of times that is medically recommended to donate within a certain period. They have even devised ways of bypassing the bottlenecks that could prevent them from 'unethical' donation. According to one of them, they take all sorts of 'drinks' that help boost their blood and resort to begging the laboratory attendants in cases where pre-tests do not certify them fit to donate.

Never in my life would I have thought that someone somewhere will try to sell their won blood or profit from other people's blood. I would not know the extent of the legality or otherwise because the legal framework on the commercialization of blood donation seems to be non-existence as far as Nigeria is concerned.

While donated blood may end up saving lives, an unchecked donation may put the lives of donors in danger.

Thank you all for reading.

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In the United States, the medical establishment looks down on buying blood. However, companies are able to buy plasma ... which is pretty much the same thing.

There are large companies that operate plasma collection centers. I listed a few of the plasma collection centers on Internet Rivers.

The collection centers are usually located in marginal communities. Places where people need money. Personally, I think it is a good structure because it provides people who need money with an alternative source of money. The networks are good about screening plasma donation candidates.

Labs can draw monoclonal antibodies for COVID19 (and other diseases) from the blood. The monoclonal antibodies are one of the most successful treatments for COVID19.

We could have a robust market where people who had COVID19 sold their blood extract the monoclonal antibodies. This would provide people with income while providing a treatment for the pandemic.

Unfortunately, the ruling elite that runs the health care industry will not allow the market to work. The ruling elite want to use COVID19 as a control mechanism so they down play treatments that could save lives.

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Thanks for such an insightful addition to the article. I totally agree with most of the things you said. I don't have any problem with the commercialization as long as the focus is not on profit and donors are properly screened.

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IMHO, "profit" is not the problem. A profit occurs whenever the thing produced is more valuable than the thing invested.

If a person who had COVID19 sells blood and a lab extracts the monoclonal antibodies; then the lab created a valuable treatment for COVID19. The difference between the cost or extracting the blood and the treatment is profit.

Profit is a wonderful thing.

The thing we need to avoid is exploitation. Exploitation happens when the source of the blood is not compensated or if it is taken from people in ways that harm the donor.

It is ironic, but the blood donation system which refuses to compensate the donors for their time and effort is engaged in exploitation while the plasma centers that pay for the blood end up distributing money to people who are often in need of the money.

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First I want to say that I am so sorry about your son. I am distraught when one of my children or when my granddaughter is ill. So I know how hard this must be for you. I hope he recovers and never suffers this again.

As for your blog: There are people who give blood (as you suggest) therapeutically. It's not that they have too much blood, it's that they have too much iron in their blood: hemochromatosis. The only treatment is phlebotomy. Depending on the amount of iron in the blood, the patient returns and has a pint of blood drawn every several months. The pity of this is, that blood is thrown away. No effort is made to save the whole blood or the plasma.

Amazing, isn't it?

An interesting blog, as always, @gentleshaid

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Whereas, this same volume of blood is sold to patients that require transfusion for as high as $40. Who gets the profit? I really wonder!

I don't know that the blood is actually sold to patients. I think that sometimes, it is the relative of the patient that actually seek out the service of these guys.

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(Edited)

Robert Rodriguez (director of Sin City and many others) famously sold his plasma and participated in medical studies in order to get $7000 to make his first movie!

Many people do the same, with plasma or sperm donation. If people will sell their body for sex, I don't see why they wouldn't sell their blood if the need arose.

Sorry to hear about your son. Is he okay now?

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I didn't thought about the fact that blood donation could be a business before reading this post, but at the end, we live in an ear where anything can be a business. This should in my opinion not exist, but humans are definitely trying to profit even from any single good cause. Pffff....

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This is the bad side of free capitalism. When there are no boundaries to making money. It is unfortunate.

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Oh well... I'm not sure what to say about this situation, I mean what's worse donating blood for money (even donating as a word doesn't fit here) or not considering the dangers that might follow excessive blood donation.

As a "human" I wouldn't really ask to be paid to donate blood, that's what should be normal right? But well if a gang or whatever consider that a way to make money then what can I say... that's crazy for real.

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