Since the late 1990s, we have been relying solely on imports of plasma medicines from other countries, predominantly the USA, to help the thousands of patients across England who need these life-saving drugs.
I was grateful to meet with Societi, the U.K. Foundation for Kawasaki Disease, to discuss the need for more UK plasma donors.
The NHS has not been able to produce its own medicine from UK plasma for the last 25 years due to fears over the potential spread of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). In April 2021, citing new scientific evidence, the ban was lifted.
Around 17,000 people a year in England currently receive immunoglobulin, and some of those will be our neighbours, co-workers, family, or friends.
I join with NHS Blood Donation in encouraging all to donate plasma at one of their dedicated donation centres.
I am pleased to have donated plasma in the past. The process is as simple as donating blood, though understandably not as quick, and the team are friendly and caring from the moment you enter.
If you're the #GivingType in Worthing and Arun, join the thousands of people giving plasma. Find out more information, here: https://www.blood.co.uk/plasma/
