Brussels, (October 4, 2021) — The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is marking the 9th annual International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), October 4-8, by increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of plasma, particularly the urgent need to increase plasma donations in the European Union, while also recognizing and thanking plasma donors who save and improve the lives of patients who rely on plasma for their therapies. Considering the revision of the European blood and tissues and cells legislation, PPTA calls on policymakers and regulators throughout Europe to strengthen its legal framework to benefit plasma donations for plasma-derived medicines and encourage new approaches that increase the collection of plasma across the European Union.

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 4, 2021) — The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is proud to mark the launch of the ninth annual International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), which will run from Monday, October 4 until Friday, October 8. Nearly 125,000 people in the U.S. with rare diseases, and countless others facing trauma and emergency medical needs every day, rely on medicines that are only available because of the commitment of dedicated plasma donors. Considering the nearly 20% decline in plasma donations seen last year due to the ongoing pandemic, the need for plasma donors is now more urgent than ever before. 

June 14, 2021 (Brussels, Belgium) – The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is proud to mark World Blood Donor Day. This day is an opportunity to specifically thank plasma donors, as well as blood donors, and recognize their shared commitment and contributions to saving and improving the lives of patients in Europe.

February 25, 2021 (Annapolis, MD) - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) welcomes the decision of the UK government to lift a two decades old ban on the use of UK-donated plasma for the manufacture of immunoglobulins, following a scientific review conducted by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The ban was imposed in 1998 to mitigate the spread of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD), but experts have now concluded that the use of UK-sourced plasma to manufacture immunoglobulins is safe and can recommence, supported by a set of robust safety measures.

Representatives of patient advocacy groups, expert physicians, thought leaders, and representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research came together on December 9 at a roundtable sponsored by the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) to discuss the impacts on people with rare diseases if not enough plasma is available to manufacture lifesaving plasma-derived therapies. These therapies are often the only treatments available for people with primary immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency, hereditary angioedema, and certain neurological conditions.

The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) welcomes the European Commission’s publication of the Inception Impact Assessment (IIA) as a necessary step in the ongoing evaluation of the EU legislation on blood, tissues, and cells (BTC). Rightfully, the assessment underlines the need for timely action to decrease Europe’s reliance on third countries for plasma. We appeal to authorities to urgently take the necessary steps to collect more plasma through plasmapheresis in Europe As highlighted by the European Commission, plasmapheresis is a more efficient collection method compared to the collection of recovered plasma.¹

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 5, 2020) — The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is proud to mark the launch of the eighth annual International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), which will run until October 9.

The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) welcomes EU Health Commissioner Kyriakides’ recognition of the importance of plasma donation in her observance yesterday of World Blood Donor Day. By noting plasma’s role in the manufacture of plasma-derived medicinal therapies (PDMPs) for people with a range of life-challenging diseases, as well as its potential role in treating people with COVID-19, Commissioner Kyriakides rightly notes that “donating plasma is therefore now more important than ever.”

28 May 2020 (Brussels) - The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) is concerned about the recommendations contained in 20th version of Blood Guide of The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) which aims to harmonise standards and recommendations on blood collection, preparation, and the use of blood and blood components. This Guide, if applied, will have a negative impact on the availability of plasma to develop Plasma-Derived Medicinal Products (PDMPs) for European patients as it fails to distinguish between requirements for transfusable blood components and plasma for manufacturing, especially concerning donor deferrals.

April 24 — (Annapolis, MD) — The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) applauds the Administration for comments made during the April 23 White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing in which Americans were encouraged to contact their local plasma donation center to learn how they can help. There are currently more than 800 plasma donation centers across the United States, many of which are now collecting plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients, as well as source plasma relied upon by thousands of people living with serious, rare, and often life-threatening conditions. Donation centers can be found by visiting www.donatingplasma.org.