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Grifols Plasma Center to open in Spanish Fork Grifols, along with our patients, thank in advance the committed donors who will come regularly to donate plasma at our Spanish Fork center. Being a plasma donor is, in fact, a commitment because only plasma from healthy, repeat donors is used to produce plasma-derived medicines. If a donor does not return to make a second donation, their first donation will never be used. Donor health and product safety are our utmost priorities. Donors receive a thorough health screening at each donation, including a physical exam at the first visit, and every single donation undergoes vigorous testing. Plasma donors are compensated for their time because we realize there is a commitment involved in being a regular plasma donor. It takes anywhere from 130 to 1,300 donations to make enough medicine to treat a single patient for one year. For those of you who are not already donors, consider learning more about plasma donation by visiting www. grifolsplasma.com. Grifols currently has multiple locations throughout Utah including one in Orem and two in Provo. Your donations truly do make a difference in helping improve the lives of thousands of patients struggling with rare and chronic conditions in the U.S. and worldwide. Grifols Plasma Center is a Presidential Member of the Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce.
Our great state serves as a place where the world convenes to explore natural wonders, compete in world-class athletic competitions and enjoy its friendly community. However, for thousands of Americans and more around the world, enjoying Utah would not be possible without the generous plasma donations by thousands of committed plasma donors. Soon donors will be able to visit our newest Grifols Plasma Center location in Spanish Fork. A Grifols Plasma Center will open at 450 N. Main in Spanish Fork in December of 2017. Plasma contains hundreds of essential proteins and antibodies that are vital to the body’s ability to maintain critical functions such as controlling bleeding and fighting infections. Without enough of any one of these proteins, a person could have a life-threatening illness such as an immune deficiency, genetic emphysema or hemophilia. Thanks to donors’ generosity, Grifols is able to produce plasma protein therapies that help treat those suffering from these rare and chronic conditions. These medicines help give people around the world the chance for more productive and healthier lives. In fact, one of these therapies was first used during World War II to treat severe conditions and continues to be used on today’s battlefields for the treatment of wounded soldiers. Over the years, additional therapies have been developed to manage multiple conditions in the various areas of pulmonology, hematology, immunology and neurology.
How does the plasma collection process work? Plasmapheresis (pronounced PLAZ-mah fair-EE-sis) is the automated plasma collection process used at each of Grifols’ plasma donation centers. A specialized medical device separates the plasma from the blood through this safe and sterile process. The plasma is collected while the remaining blood (including red blood cells and white blood cells) is returned to you, the plasma donor. Remember, our plasmaprotein medicines require plasma, not blood – so we take only what we need, and you keep the rest. This collection process is the most effective way of extracting plasma from the blood, and since your body replenishes plasma quickly, it makes the recovery process faster and easier. As a result, you can make your life-saving donations more frequently – up to twice in a seven-day period, with 48 hours between donations. 29