Supplement your income by selling plasma
As times get tougher financially, more and more people are tapping unusual resources to get the cash to get by day by day --- including their own veins.
According to the Chicago Tribune, selling blood plasma has grown increasingly popular. Donors are technically compensated $25 to $40 for the time spent donating the fluid, separated from blood.
For-profit blood banks use this raw material to manufacture drugs and other products for people with diseases such as hemophilia, immunodeficiency disorders or burn victims.
According to the story:
"Whatever their motivation, plasma donors are a valuable resource for an industry that has grown to nearly $10 billion a year, said Patrick Robert, president of Market Research Bureau and publisher of International Blood/Plasma News.
Each liter of plasma can be worth as much as $200 before the manufacturing process and as much as $500 after, analysts said. About two-thirds of a liter of plasma is taken on each visit, depending on the donor's weight."
More good news: there are more centers being built across the country, according to the article.
Thinking of giving it a try? It can take longer than donating whole blood --- up to 45 minutes to an hour, according to this fact sheet about plasma. Also, the medical screening is more intense, so factor in some paperwork time.
(photo: Steve Ruark/special to the Baltimore Sun)
