A growing number of Americans are choosing to donate plasma for money to help with everyday expenses as they deal with rising costs and uncertain jobs under Donald Trump, according to an NBC News report. This report highlighted steady crowds at donation centers in suburban shopping areas and college towns.
In a suburban Philadelphia strip mall in Holmes, Pennsylvania, donors lay on beds connected to machines that separate plasma from their blood in exchange for payments loaded onto prepaid debit cards. The report followed Ian Pleasant, 43, who said he came in for extra cash for basic household items and received $65.
“It’s a scene repeated by around 200,000 people a day across the country,” the report noted, pointing to a business that buys plasma for use in medicines. The same report stated that people in the U.S. earned an estimated $4.7 billion from selling plasma last year. The amount of plasma collected has risen by more than 30% since 2022.
Plasma, the liquid part of blood, is essential for making treatments for patients with immune deficiencies, hemophilia, and other conditions. The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association indicated it can take plasma from more than 100 people to support one patient for a year, a statistic NBC News echoed.
The United States plays a significant role in the global supply of plasma-derived medicines. Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business reported that the U.S. supplies about 70% of the world’s plasma used in medicines, partly due to rules that allow paid donations and frequent collections. Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder estimated that just over 3 million people in the U.S. contributed to around 70% of the world’s plasma in 2019.
NBC News reported that over 1,200 plasma centers operate across the nation. The number of centers has grown to the point that there are now more places to sell plasma than there are Costco stores. The report included comments from Georgetown professor Peter Jaworski, who said the business has expanded beyond poorer areas into middle-class neighborhoods, including suburban strip malls.
Interviewees told NBC News that they viewed donating as a way to make ends meet rather than a moral choice. Pleasant mentioned that driving for DoorDash helps him pay bills, but the money from plasma donations assists with other household needs. In Phoenix, Jill Chamberlain shared that she started donating after losing a better-paying job and taking a lower-wage position, describing the experience as humiliating. In Fresno, California, Erin Ragnetti explained that rising prices forced her to seek another source of income.
Some donors described the payment structure as an incentive system. NBC News noted that companies typically pay one rate for the first visit of the week and a higher rate for subsequent visits, encouraging donors to return.
The industry often presents these payments as compensation for time rather than a purchase of plasma. In the NBC News report, BioLife, part of Japan-based Takeda, stated it compensates donors “for their time and effort,” and mentioned that compensation varies by location and donor status.
Researchers have looked into how this cash affects household finances. The University of Colorado Boulder found that donors frequently use the money for daily essentials and emergencies. Access to plasma centers can also lessen reliance on high-cost loans, such as payday loans. A separate public radio report noted that the U.S. is one of the few countries that allow people to be paid for plasma.
Health agencies caution that donation can have side effects. NBC News cited federal health guidance listing common effects such as bruising, fatigue, and lightheadedness. The FDA also points out that rare allergic reactions can occur.
For many donors, the choice is straightforward: they trade time and discomfort for cash to help pay bills that exceed their paychecks.
