I’ve had a little of a debate with a commenter recently where they’ve argued that “donating” (selling, in their words, because you can get money for it) your blood plasma is a scam because it’s for-profit and you’re being exploited.

Now, I only have my German lense to look at this, but I’ve been under the impression that donating blood, plasma, thrombocytes, bone marrow, whatever, is a good thing because you can help an individual in need. I get that, in the case of blood plasma, the companies paying people for their donations must make some kind of profit off that, else they wouldn’t be able to afford paying around 25€ per donation. But I’m not sure if I’d call that a scam. People are all-around, usually, too selfish and self-centered to do things out of the goodness of their hearts, so offering some form of compensation seems like a good idea to me.

In the past, I’ve had my local hospital call me asking for a blood donation, for example, because of an upcoming surgery of a hospitalised kid that shares my blood group. I got money for that too.

What are your guys’ thoughts on the matter? Should it be on donation-basis only and cut out all incentives - monetary or otherwise? Is it fine to get some form of compensation for the donation?

Very curious to see what you think

  • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
    7·
    3 months ago

    Do you get paid for the work day? I used to donate plasma twice a week because that $240 a month was the only money I had. I stopped because now I don’t need that money and I work too much to have time for it.

    If I got a paid day off work for every donation I would be there as often as they let me.

    • Damage@feddit.it
      6·
      3 months ago

      Depending on what you donate, you may have to wait 3 months between one donation and the next, we often donate whole blood; Plasma donations must be at least two weeks apart I think. I’m pretty sure there must be a limit to the numbers of days off you can get. It’s all managed through the national mutual assitance org, the employer must seek reimbursement through them as they would for sick days.

      • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        I’m assuming you’re in Germany? So envious of your labor rights there and in the broader EU.

        We were allowed to donate plasma eight times per month. $25 first donation of the week $35 second.

        • Damage@feddit.it
          3·
          3 months ago

          Italy, actually. It’s bonkers to me how the labor movement, so strong in the USA at the start of the past century, is so weak nowadays.

          For example it’s outrageous to me that you hold voting on a work day while not making it a national holiday or day off of some sort.

          • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            The thing about making it a holiday is interesting. Everyone in the service industry would be forced to work, probably extra hours as well. Because here any holiday means people who are lucky enough to be middle class and above will be consuming, especially eating out or ordering food in.

            I’d prefer mandatory voting like Australia but with ballots mailed to everyone automatically. Make it as easy as possible.