Denmark requires 26,000 new plasma donors to achieve its goal of becoming self-sufficient in blood plasma, according to Blood Donors Denmark. This organization represents approximately 180,000 Danish blood and plasma donors.

The decision to strive for self-sufficiency in blood plasma was made in 2021 by Danish Regions, aiming to ensure a stable supply of plasma-based medicines, such as immunoglobulin, for patients with cancer and immune system diseases. Currently, the country relies on foreign purchases for a significant portion of its plasma needs.

The current 32,000 plasma donors supply roughly 49% of the plasma used in Denmark, with the remainder being purchased abroad, primarily from paid donors in the USA. The goal is to eliminate this reliance on the world market to prevent medicine shortages.

People can donate blood, plasma, or both, and blood donors are encouraged to consider plasma donation if they live near a plasma donation center. Plasma donation takes about 45 minutes, slightly longer than a blood donation.

There are 15 donation centers across the country equipped to handle plasma donations, and efforts are underway to expand this capacity. The location of donation centers is a key factor in donor recruitment, and new centers are planned, including locations in Central Jutland in addition to Aarhus.

To become a plasma donor, individuals must be between 17 and 65 years old and weigh at least 60 kilos. Additional information is available at bloddonor.dk.