Student donate plasma … to make som extra money
Students at Utah State have discovered that donating plasma is a fast and easy way to make extra money.
Students may donate up to twice a week at Western Plasma located on Main Street, and they can receive up to $60 per week to compensate for their time and commitment, said freshman Emily Blotter.
“(Donating plasma) makes people smile,” said junior Jesse Ward. “I’m smiling because I get money, researchers are smiling because they have plasma to research on, and the patients are smiling because they are getting therapy.”
Ward started donating plasma when he lost his job at a local Chinese restaurant earlier this year. He said he lives near the plasma donation center and said losing his job gave him the motivation to start donating.
“I can just hop the fence and go,” Ward said.
Ward said he donates to save money for a rainy day. He has two jobs on campus, but he said he knows he will need money in the future.
“I know I’ll need money because I keep spending it,” Ward said.
Freshman Elisabeth Arellano has never donated plasma before, but she said she often hears others talk about it.
“Whenever someone needs money they joke ‘Hey, let’s go give plasma,'” Arellano said, “I hear people talk about it all over campus and at work.”
Blotter said she started donating plasma in January and donated eight times last month.
“I’m kind of addicted,” Blotter said. “It doesn’t bother me and I get paid.”
Blotter’s motive for donating is to get extra cash. Her parents give her money for necessities, but she said she likes to have a little extra money for things she wants.
According to a Web site sponsored by the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA), donating plasma is safe and relatively pain-free. Many people describe the feeling of the needle penetrating the skin as similar to a mild bee sting. Donors also need also keep in mind that their finger will be pricked each visit to be sure the plasma is safe to donate, according to the PPTA Web site.
Sophomore Chris Watti said, “I wasn’t informed enough, so it was kind of a hassle.”
Watti started donating last year, and the only problem he said he has had was being unprepared for his first visit. An original Social Security card, proof of residence and a driver’s license are required to be able to donate, Watti said.
Watti said he has a seasonal job during the summer and a student loan to cover major expenses. He said he donates plasma throughout the school year to cover anything else.
Donors are allowed to donate twice a week, according to guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Donors must wait at least 48 hours between visits for the plasma to replenish itself, the FDA guidelines state.
Blotter said donors receive $25 compensation the first time they donate during the week, and $35 for donating a second time.
Plasma collection centers nationwide offer compensation for plasma donation to ensure that they receive enough donations to manufacture protein therapies for people with chronic life-threatening illnesses, according to the PPTA. If donors weren’t compensated for their time, the plasma manufacturers wouldn’t be guaranteed a safe and adequate supply of plasma.
Blotter said about her recent visits to the plasma center, “It’s been busy lately.”
Blotter spent four and a half hours at the center her first time, and has spent one and a half to two and a half with each subsequent visit.
The donated plasma is used as therapy to help people of all ages fight diseases such as hemophilia, primary immunodeficiency and serious but rare neurological and autoimmune disorders, according to the PPTA.
The requirements for donating plasma are similar to those for donating blood. A potential donor must be 18 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors must pass a brief medical examination, an extensive medical history screening and testing for transmissible viruses, according to the PPTA Web site. Donors must also meet the daily recommendations for protein and try to eat foods high in iron prior to donating, it states.
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