Paid plasma versus voluntary nonremunerated plasma collection for plasma-derived medicine: Iran experience with a short glance at a few countries

Abstract

Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) established in 1975 has been the sole responsible entity for blood adequacy and safety in Iran. It has been the same in case of providing recovered plasma. At the same time, the first commercial plasma center was authorized by IBTO to operate in the capital Tehran to contribute to the main purpose that was the investment of the private sector in fulfilling fractionation purposes and the construction of a fractionation plant. The goal that unfortunately did not materialize. To make remedies based on a well-calculated plasma document, in 2015, a plasma program developed in Iran by IBTO by which new donor centers were opened or already blood center were equipped to allow for the collection of voluntary nonremunerated source plasma. It had in it capacities of plasma collection for IBTO recovered, commercial source, and IBTO voluntary source. The latter third was a gradually growing program that lasted just 3 years and showed progress but the managerial changes and invalid arbitrary and sudden decisions brought it to the end. Whilst the paid private centers grew and ruined the voluntary nonremunerated sense that IBTO always pursued and was against the Ministry of Health requirements for what the commercial private sectors should have abided by. Safe voluntary nonremunerated source plasma collection that almost all countries pursue to grow along with existing recovered plasma share was terminated with consequences that are detailed in the present article.

Keywords

• nonremunerated donation
• plasma
• plasma-derived medicine