Plasma donation expands to new locations
The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service is expanding the opportunity to donate plasma. Currently, plasma donation is available at the Blood Service location in Vantaa. By the end of 2026, plasma donation will be introduced in Espoo, Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Kuopio and Oulu.
Availability of plasma-derived medicines is a concern
Medicinal products made from blood plasma are life-saving and widely used to treat various diseases. For example, for patients with severe antibody deficiencies, they are the only treatment option. Immunoglobulin medicines are used to treat severe inherited immune deficiencies and as supportive therapy in new cancer treatments.
Approximately 30% of the plasma used in Europe is currently collected in the United States. The high dependence on plasma from the US exposes Europe to potential supply disruptions, a risk that became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changing security environment and upcoming EU legislation (the SoHO Regulation) require strengthening plasma self-sufficiency in every EU country.
Ensuring access to plasma medicines for patients
Expanding plasma donation helps improve the availability of critical plasma-derived medicines. At the European level, increasing plasma donation enhances self-sufficiency and reduces dependence on plasma imported from the United States.
We will provide more detailed information on the timetable for expanding plasma donation during autumn 2026.
