What happens to your donation next?

In New Zealand we need to collect over 50 tonnes of plasma every year. Several times during the year, large quantities of the plasma collected from Kiwis are sent to a specialist laboratory in Melbourne, Australia. There it is made into up to 12 lifesaving products. All blood products manufactured from New Zealand plasma in Australia are then returned to NZBS for local distribution to hospitals across the country. 

Plasma donations not sent for manufacture into plasma products are stored frozen in our blood banks as blood components for transfusion. These plasma donations are used for transfusions, to replace blood clotting factors and occasionally other blood proteins. The plasma is thawed in warm water baths prior to transfusion.

Did you know that plasma can be frozen and stored for up to two years? That means even if we don’t use your donation straight away, there’s plenty of time for it to be put to excellent use!