Don't sell off our Plasma Resources!

Plasma Petition - keep it public

The government is planning to sell off Plasma Resources UK, the firm responsible for supplying blood plasma products to the NHS, to a private contractor.

1. Blood plasma is essential for the treatment of many conditions, including burns, shock and major trauma; immune disorders and neurological conditions; protecting unborn children from haemolytic diseases. Possibly best known plasma product is Factor VIII used to treat around 3,000 haemophilia patients.

2. The profit impetus may compel any company taking over services to cut corners in order to make return. This could have devastating consequences for patient safety should contaminated, poorly packaged or improperly labelled products reach frontline healthcare services.

Please consider signing the petition at http://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/blood-plasma and stop the sell off of this important public service.

Mr. Lansley has already been party to breaking up the Blood Transfusion Service (NHSBT)  in 2011. 

It is the part that he has separated off that he is looking to sell off. 

That company is Plasma Resources UK (PRUK), the principal supplier of plasma and plasma products to the NHS.

Blood and Plasma are obviously joined at the hip. 

When a donor gives a pint of blood, 55% of that fluid by volume is plasma.

 Much of today's service is about producing blood and plasma products for the treatment of a wide range of patients.

 Treatments using plasma products are no less important than those using blood products. 

You have only to google‚ medical uses of plasma  to find out the wonderful way its products can influence patients lives, such as the treatment folk suffering from burns, shock and major trauma; immune disorders and neurological conditions; protecting unborn children from haemolytic diseases. Possibly best known plasma product is Factor VIII used to treat around 3,000 haemophilia patients.