Blood, Plasma and Plasma Proteins : A Unique Contribution to Modern Healthcare

Labile blood products and plasma-derived products are very sensitive from a social viewpoint. Along with the challenges faced by all medicinal products, there is an added challenge due to the lack of raw material and the social problems with regards to their acquisition. Obtaining them depends on blood and plasma donations, which are insufficient. Europeans as a whole fail to even cover 40 per cent of their needs in plasma for fractionation. The aspiration that all donations shall be voluntary, free and unpaid, is an altruistic objective, which reality, unfortunately, contradicts every day. Governments and all social Agencies should promote to the maximum its actions in order to achieve the greatest number of donation each day. Even from a humanitarian or ethical viewpoint nobody can deny a possible donor accepting incentives. This incentive discussion, plus the concept of self-sufficiency of countries and more are discussed in this volume.