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What's your stance on "donating" blood plasma? (lemmy.zip)

submitted 2 months ago by v4ld1z@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I've had a little of a debate with a commenter recently where they've argued that "donating" (selling, in their words, because you can get money for it) your blood plasma is a scam because it's for-profit and you're being exploited.

Now, I only have my German lense to look at this, but I've been under the impression that donating blood, plasma, thrombocytes, bone marrow, whatever, is a good thing because you can help an individual in need. I get that, in the case of blood plasma, the companies paying people for their donations must make some kind of profit off that, else they wouldn't be able to afford paying around 25€ per donation. But I'm not sure if I'd call that a scam. People are all-around, usually, too selfish and self-centered to do things out of the goodness of their hearts, so offering some form of compensation seems like a good idea to me.

In the past, I've had my local hospital call me asking for a blood donation, for example, because of an upcoming surgery of a hospitalised kid that shares my blood group. I got money for that too.

What are your guys' thoughts on the matter? Should it be on donation-basis only and cut out all incentives - monetary or otherwise? Is it fine to get some form of compensation for the donation?

Very curious to see what you think

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[–] EABOD25@lemm.ee 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Even if it is for profit, it can still be used to save someone's life.

[–] tpihkal@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I don't have a problem with a for profit model as we live in a monetary system and every donation requires a paid staff and medical supplies as well as a donor's time and willingness as donating is not without some risk.

It is the infinite profit model that is a problem. The immoral example would be sucking every penny out of patients for blood coming from completely free donations. Or worse, requiring people to pay to donate and manipulating them into doing it.

[–] EABOD25@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Preaching to the choir, bud

[–] tpihkal@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm agreeing with and expanding on what you said. It's an open forum; that's how conversations work.

[–] EABOD25@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Did what I say offend you? I wasn't being snarky. I was agreeing with you and had nothing further to add

[–] tpihkal@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

No, sorry, I thought you were being snarky.

[–] EABOD25@lemm.ee 3 points 2 months ago

Nah friend. I agree with you 100%