Solidarity in the blood

Several donations possible

If you are one of the 90% of French people ready to take the plunge, know first that you must weigh at least 50 kilos and be between the ages of 18 and 70 for whole blood donations. To know your ability to give, the most important thing is to know if you are feeling in good shape. The easiest way is then to answer the health questionnaire available on the organization’s website. It will only take five minutes.

Three types of donations can be made at the collection center. At the reception, you will be offered to wear a mask and wash your hands with hydroalcoholic gel. You will then need to fill in a form that allows you to establish your ability to donate during your medical visit. Once this has been validated, go to the donation room to sit in an armchair.

Whole blood samples are the most common. They only last about ten minutes. Used in case of accidents, childbirth, surgery or even blood diseases, they have the advantage of containing the three usable products in a pocket: red blood cells, plasma and platelets.

The second most popular donation, plasma represents a public health concern. It is in fact useful in the preparation of some biomedicines, mainly administered to subjects in intensive care or in immunodeficiency, severe burns or even haemophiliacs. The needs are growing, which is why the EFS organized its first campaign dedicated to the donation of plasma from 17 October to 6 November. Allow around 1.5 hours for your visit, including a 45-60 minute donation.

Finally, it is possible to offer only platelets. Produced by the bone marrow and contributing to clotting, they are essential for healing and preventing excessive blood loss. These samples are still a bit longer with an average duration of 1h30. Allow about two hours. They require that you have a donor card, so you have already donated blood at least twice. It is indeed important, for reasons of compatibility with the beneficiary, that your blood profile is identified and confirmed. Platelets help in particular to treat patients who suffer from blood diseases, such as tumors or autoimmune diseases, and who are undergoing heavy treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.).