Plasma Resilience: Europe's Lifeline
When considering medical breakthroughs, medicines made from human plasma are often overlooked. However, this protein-rich liquid, accounting for 55% of our blood, is crucial for developing therapies for various conditions, including rare inherited disorders and immunodeficiencies.
Europe's supply chain of this valuable resource is extremely vulnerable, as plasma is uniquely human and cannot be produced in a lab. Therapies made from plasma exist thanks to the generosity of real people, with over 12 million Europeans donating plasma annually through a process governed by rigorous safety standards.
- EU Member States set safety standards
- International safety standards, such as the International Quality Plasma Program (IQPP)
- Strict oversight by the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA)
Despite these efforts, nearly 40% of plasma used to make medicines for Europe must be imported from the United States, highlighting the need to strengthen the continent's plasma resilience.
Plasma is singularly human, and therapies made from it exist only thanks to the generosity of real people.
Author's summary: Europe's plasma supply chain is vulnerable and needs strengthening.