Is giving platelets the same as giving blood?

About 2 million units of platelets are transfused each year in the U.S. Every 15 seconds someone in the U.S. needs platelets. You can help by donating platelets through the American Red Cross. Visit http://redcrossblood.org/platelets or call 1-800-RED CROSS for more information.

What disqualifies people from giving blood?

You will be denied if your blood tests positive for: HIV-1, HIV-2, human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-I, HTLV-II, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, West Nile Virus (WNV), and T. pallidum (syphilis). Blood donation is actually a quick and easy way to get tested for all of these things.

Why would I not be able to donate platelets?

TRALI is a rare but serious complication of blood transfusions most commonly thought to be caused by a reaction to HLA antibodies present in the donor’s plasma. If you test positive for these antibodies, you are no longer eligible for platelet and plasma donations.

How do you get your blood platelets up?

You can donate only platelets, too. This process is called apheresis and is slightly different from giving a whole-blood donation. During the platelet donation, blood is removed from one arm, and then a centrifuge separates out the platelets. The rest of the blood then returns to the donor through the other arm.

When you give blood What do they test for?

After you have donated, your blood will be tested for syphilis, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), hepatitis, and HTLV (human T-lymphotropic virus), which can cause a blood or nerve disease.

Can females give platelets?

Women who have ever been pregnant can’t donate either, they state. Asked about the latter condition, doctors from private and government hospitals in Delhi said this has been the norm. “Pregnant women have, since the very beginning, been eliminated from the list of plasma donors.

Do you get paid for donating platelets?

In practice, nobody really pays for blood, said Mario Macis, an economist at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School who has studied incentives for blood donation. “Even though it’s legal, it’s still considered not totally moral or ethical to pay cash to blood donors.”

Can you donate blood for a specific person?

Donating blood for a family member, friend, or other specified patient is called directed donation. This can be done at any blood donation center, but you should call ahead to check requirements and schedule the donation.