For those who struggle to make ends meet, selling blood and plasma is one way to stretch your budget through the end of the month. However, due to national shortages, blood banks are desperately reaching out for new donors. If you want to support our health care workers or simply need extra money, here is how you can sell your blood for cash.
How Can You Sell Your Blood for Cash?
Most places will not compensate you for donating blood. However, there are private centers that will pay you for blood plasma. There is a high demand for it, so you can sell your blood plasma for cash. Plasma is rich in enzymes, antibodies, and proteins, and it is used in many medical treatments. Transplant patients, burn victims, and those with clotting disorders all benefit from blood plasma. The private centers earn a profit by selling it, so they are willing to pay you for each session. There are usually incentives and bonuses for first-time donors as well.
How much you earn varies from one person to the next. However, you can usually expect between $20 and $50 per donation. The amount depends on the quantity of plasma you provide. The bigger you are, the more they can extract. The donor guidelines separate people into categories according to weight: 110-149 lbs., 150-174 lbs., and 175-400 lbs. Cash payments are set according to these guidelines.
Who is Eligible?
If you want to sell your blood plasma, the eligibility requirements are usually the same as those that regulate blood donations. Any adult who is between the ages of 18-69, over 110 pounds, and in good health can donate. However, there are certain risk factors and conditions that could exclude you as a candidate.
To ensure that you are healthy and eligible, you must complete a donor questionnaire. Certain lifestyles and pre-existing conditions may prevent you from selling your blood. For example, if you have traveled internationally to places endemic for malaria in the past year, you cannot donate. Furthermore, if you have a condition like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, iron deficiencies, or certain types of cancer, you are also an ineligible candidate.
Before wasting time and gas money, call around or look online for the requirements at clinics in your area. If you have any questions about your eligibility, call ahead to ensure you would make it through the screening process.
What are the Risks?
Donating blood and plasma is a well-regulated process. However, there are always risks to consider. Most commonly, people report tenderness and bruising around the needle injection site. Others feel dizzy and faint after donating due to blood loss. Since your body loses so much fluid, you want to be well hydrated before your appointment. It is also a good idea to avoid caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, and fatty foods as well.
Severe reactions are uncommon but can occur, especially if you are not healthy. Donors have reported shivering, changes in their pulse rate, shortness of breath, and twitching after donation. There is an increased risk for these side effects if you are not feeling well or have donated too recently.
Covid-19 has also increased the risk to sell your blood. In addition to meeting all the health standards, some clinics also require a negative test or a positive recovery test if you had the virus. While there is an urgent need for blood and plasma donors, we still have the important responsibility to ensure everyone’s safety.
What are the Ethical Concerns of Selling Blood?
In addition to the physical risks, there are also some ethical concerns about selling blood. Some national and local governments have banned paying donors. In Ontario, victims of tainted blood have called for public administration and voluntary donations only after serious breaches in the screening process. Approximately 33,000 people contracted hepatitis C and an additional 1,000 others contracted HIV because of improper screening. They argue that federal regulation would make it safer to donate and less likely others will become victims.
Another reason people want standardized regulations is to ensure that donors are not exploited. There are no concerns when donors are well-informed and willing to sell their blood for cash. However, issues arise when private clinics and organizations do not properly compensate donors. This has been particularly troublesome in developing countries where private companies take advantage of the poor. Another dilemma is when people are not advised of the health risks. In some instances, people may have refused to donate had they been aware. Therefore, donors must give full consent to ensure each individual’s rights are protected.
Others have argued that it is our ethical responsibility to give blood for the greater good. In particular, the position states we should voluntarily donate during times of crisis and natural disasters. Unfortunately, it is impossible to rely solely upon voluntary donors. For example, only 30% of Canada’s supply comes from volunteers. U.S. companies that pay for donations provide the rest.
Like these countries that rely on volunteer donations only, some urban areas are already experiencing shortages. Blood banks have difficulty meeting demands because fewer people want to sell blood for cash during the pandemic. Under these circumstances, paying donors may be the only way to ensure there is ample supply to support the health care system.
Where Can You Sell Blood Plasma?
A quick internet search will provide you with a list of private clinics and blood banks in your area. This site can help you find a donation center convenient for you. If you are still having trouble, you can also ask your physician or health care provider for a referral. In addition to volunteer donations, many also pay cash for blood plasma.
The unfortunate truth is that U.S. blood supplies are alarmingly low. In fact, we could be facing widespread shortages soon. There is no way to decrease demand, so we must find ways to increase the blood supply. Paying donors for contributions is one way to bridge this gap. If you have ever wanted to sell your blood for cash, now is a perfect time. Not only are you supporting our health care system, but you can also earn some extra cash.
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Jenny Smedra is an avid world traveler, ESL teacher, former archaeologist, and freelance writer. Choosing a life abroad had strengthened her commitment to finding ways to bring people together across language and cultural barriers. While most of her time is dedicated to either working with children, she also enjoys good friends, good food, and new adventures.