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It's not just rural America and it's not just the people we'd normally consider poor. Next to the plasma donation center in my town, there's a children's tramp

It's not just rural America and it's not just the people we'd normally consider poor. Next to the plasma donation center in my town, there's a children's trampoline and activity center. I take my son there at least once a month, sometimes more often if the weather’s bad. While he plays, I sit near the front windows and keep an eye on him while also looking outside and seeing the various individuals who go and sell their plasma at the donation center. There are people from all different walks of life. You've got people walking in from god knows where (my town and this area in particular are not very walking friendly), people driving up in trash cars about to fall apart, people driving up in $60k+ cars, folks with multiple children in tow, etc. It seems that many people other than the folks we'd normally consider poor need to sell their plasma to get that bit of extra cash.

pavel_lishin 1y ago
> It seems that many people other than the folks we'd normally consider poor need to sell their plasma to get that bit of extra cash. AMaybe some of them are doing it for altruistic reasons.
- jdeibele 1y ago
  If you want to give away your plasma, you can do that through the Red Cross and maybe get a $10 Amazon gift card and/or a T-shirt. It takes about 3 hours on a gurney. I donate blood every 2 months. It takes about 30 minutes. I was doing it for altruistic reasons but it turns out that I have an iron deficiency and everyone is tested for an adequate hemoglobin level before they can donate. I have been turned away because my level was too low. Because I donate blood, I get a nice chart that I can show my doctor of what the levels are. A while ago, the Red Cross was testing for COVID-19 antibodies so that blood with those could be given to immuno-compromised people. My thought is that the Red Cross should find some tests that are relatively inexpensive to do but would be popular with certain people. Like testosterone or Vitamin D levels. That'd be a much bigger incentive than a $10 gift card.

pavel_lishin 1y ago

> It seems that many people other than the folks we'd normally consider poor need to sell their plasma to get that bit of extra cash. AMaybe some of them are doing it for altruistic reasons.

jdeibele 1y ago
If you want to give away your plasma, you can do that through the Red Cross and maybe get a $10 Amazon gift card and/or a T-shirt. It takes about 3 hours on a gurney. I donate blood every 2 months. It takes about 30 minutes. I was doing it for altruistic reasons but it turns out that I have an iron deficiency and everyone is tested for an adequate hemoglobin level before they can donate. I have been turned away because my level was too low. Because I donate blood, I get a nice chart that I can show my doctor of what the levels are. A while ago, the Red Cross was testing for COVID-19 antibodies so that blood with those could be given to immuno-compromised people. My thought is that the Red Cross should find some tests that are relatively inexpensive to do but would be popular with certain people. Like testosterone or Vitamin D levels. That'd be a much bigger incentive than a $10 gift card.