Most people think of the plasma sector as just another arm of biotechnology, but nothing could be further from the truth. Relying primarily upon individual donations from the United States to supply global plasma, the sector’s raw material costs mean it has more in common with precision manufacturing and does so under strict scientific controls. The impact of COVID-19 on the willingness and ability of people to donate plasma, and a recent ruling by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on cross-border donations has put the global sector under serious pressure and the supply chain under tremendous stress. To discuss all things plasma, I’m joined by Amy Efantis, the CEO of the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association. In this podcast, we highlight how the cost of collecting plasma has skyrocketed, and how this has had a hugely negative impact on the global supply of vitally needed products such as immunoglobulin and albumen. As well, we talk about how the contradictory border policies of the Biden administration have many within the plasma sector scratching their heads, trying to solve the seemingly arbitrary enforcement of U.S. laws and its impact on plasma collections.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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