What is plasma?
Plasma is the liquid component of blood. It carries water, salts, enzymes, antibodies and other proteins that help the body function, and it makes up roughly 55% of total blood volume. Plasma is approximately 92% water, 7% proteins (including immunoglobulins) and 1% other solutes.
Those plasma proteins do essential work: maintaining fluid balance and hydration, enabling clotting, and defending the body against infection. When someone lacks enough of certain plasma proteins, they can develop chronic or life-threatening illness. Plasma cannot be created in a lab; it is only available through the donations of people who choose to give.
For many patients, plasma-derived medicines are the only effective treatment available for rare, chronic or life-threatening conditions. They include immunoglobulins for primary and secondary immunodeficiencies and autoimmune disorders, coagulation factors for bleeding disorders, and alpha-1 proteinase inhibitors to treat lung and liver disease.
How plasma donation works
Plasma is donated through a process called plasmapheresis. Whole blood is drawn, a machine separates the plasma from the other blood components, and the red blood cells and platelets are returned to the donor. The body replenishes plasma quickly. Under Grifols’ Health Canada-approved procedures, donors must wait a full 48 hours between donations. Every donor must also meet the applicable health and eligibility requirements before each donation.
Plasma donation is a low-risk procedure, and serious adverse events are extremely rare. More than 17 million donations take place safely each year across Grifols' global network.
The plasma journey: from donation to medicine
Turning donated plasma into a finished medicine is a highly regulated, multi-stage process ‒ testing, analysis, fractionation and purification ‒ designed to ensure the safety, purity and effectiveness of every therapy. Because of the precision and stringent standards involved, the full transformation from donated plasma to finished medicine can take up to 12 months.
Every donation matters to the tens of thousands of Canadian patients who rely on plasma-derived immunoglobulin therapies. Donors are the first, essential step in that journey.
Why plasma is important for Canadian patients
Plasma-derived medicines treat and help prevent serious conditions, including primary immune deficiencies, autoimmune disorders and other rare or chronic illnesses. In Canada, demand for these therapies, particularly immunoglobulins, continues to rise.
Canada currently meets approximately 33% of its immunoglobulin needs through domestic plasma collection. The remaining 67% of these medicines are imported, much of it from the United States. Without continued growth in Canadian plasma collection and manufacturing capability, Canadian patients will remain dependent on supply and market conditions outside the country’s control.
Donating plasma in Canada helps Canadian Blood Services and Grifols build a stronger domestic supply of immunoglobulin medicines for Canadian patients.
Quick Stat
130
plasma donations
to treat 1 patient for Primary Immune Deficiency
900
plasma donations
to treat 1 Alpha-1 patient
Frequently asked questions
Yes, it is. Plasma is the straw-coloured liquid part of your blood, making up about 55% of its total volume. It’s mostly water, but it also contains proteins, electrolytes, nutrients, and hormones that help transport vital substances throughout your body.
Plasma is just one part of blood. Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. When you donate plasma, a special process called plasmapheresis separates out the liquid plasma and returns the other blood cells to you.
Plasma is mostly water, but it also contains electrolytes (like sodium, potassium, and calcium), plasma proteins (such as albumin and globulins), nutrients (like glucose and amino acids), and hormones. All of these are essential for keeping your body hydrated, helping your blood clot, supporting your immune system, and sending signals between cells.
The complex proteins in plasma can only be found in donated human plasma. There is currently no synthetic substitute.
Plasma is a key player in your immune system. It carries antibodies and complements proteins that help your body recognize and fight off harmful germs before they can cause serious infections.
During plasma donation, your blood is drawn and spun in a machine called a centrifuge to separate out the plasma. Your red blood cells and platelets are then safely returned to you. This enables regular plasma donation without loss of red cells.
Grifols plasma donation centres in Canada are subject to regulatory oversight by Health Canada, the same authority that regulates all blood and plasma collection centres in the country. Each centre must comply with federal requirements covering donor eligibility, medical supervision, collection procedures, testing, traceability and adverse-event reporting.
Grifols’ Health Canada-approved procedures require a full 48-hour waiting period between donations. Donors must also complete the required health screening and meet all eligibility criteria before each donation.
We recognize the time, effort and commitment involved in donating plasma. Compensation helps support a stable and reliable plasma supply, while every donor must meet the same health, screening and eligibility requirements.
Today, no country has achieved self-sufficiency in plasma-derived medicines without compensating plasma donors.
Canadian patients rely on imported immunoglobulin medicines for about 67% of their needs, mostly from paid plasma donors in the U.S. Increasing domestic plasma collection by compensating Canadian donors helps reduce the country’s dependence on imports and improves supply security.
Plasma donation
Learn more about Plasma collection.