dlish

i came across this video about getting paid to give plasma (not blood). its quite interesting and easy to understand , and while i'd probably think about donating blood and/or plasma, im not sure if taking money for it is ethical in my books.


donating is all about intent. if your intention is to donate out of your own kind heartedness, then kudos to you, but if someone is doing it for the money and no other reason, then im not cool with that.

i could understand that plasma and blood is needed, so as an incentive to get people to donate, they offer money. in my eyes it cheapens the value of giving blood, i guess in the same way that sex between two people becomes 'cheap' when its paid for

what do you think?

would you give blood or plasma for money?

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

SecretMethod70

I don't think it cheapens the value at all. I'd totally give plasma for money - in fact, it has been suggested to me in the past as a way to pay for some things. It's actually illegal to give money for plasma in Chicago, but as you can imagine there are places outside of Chicago that do it.

__________________
Le temps détruit tout

"Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

Willravel

I'd rather donate simply because I know how important the blood bank really is (an not just for vampires). Once upon a time having extra blood around helped me, so I'm glad to give back. If they forced the money on me or something, I guess I'd take it, but it just feels right to have it as a donation. That said, I'd never judge someone for getting paid, in fact I'd thank them.

Xerxys

I would NOT give plasma for any reason except it FREAKIN' HURTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER! I would donate blood though ... but I don't. I guess I'd sell it.

Vigilante

I have given plasma for money. If you're in college, you do what you gotta do. It wasn't worth it though, because it makes you dizzy and shit sometimes, and when they inject condensed blood back in, it feels REALLY WEIRD.

Still, I weigh enough that they could take more, so I got double pay.

__________________
We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

wooÐs

Bummer.

Can't prove anything with my tattoos and piercings.
I've always wondered about donating plasma tho.

dlish

what tattoos? what piercings? how come we dont know about them??

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

Punk.of.Ages

I don't see anything wrong with selling your plasma. You made it. It's yours to sell.

Of course, you're analogy doesn't really work in my eyes anyhow as I also don't see anything wrong with selling sex.

The blood folk need the plasma and are willing to buy it. You have it. You can just donate it if you like, but, as long as they're willing to pay for it, I'll take the money.

I haven't been able to donate, though, because I had a major blood transfusion within the last ten years.

__________________
"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

wooÐs

lol

Well I wanted to be unique when I was younger - just like everyone else...

One tattoo on my ankle and several gauges in my ears which I've taken out for over a year now - one in belly button, that's now ruined from a surgery.

JStrider

I sold plasma for 1.5 or 2 years... twice a week excluding college holidays. didnt phase me, I've got big easy to stick veins, have 2 places they could stick me on each arm, so I would rotate stick spots to allow each to heal fully between sticks. I saw people pass out, one guy have a seizure(reaction to the anti clotting agent) saw a couple people keep bleedng after being wrapped up... fun times. I never had any trouble... just drank a ton of water before selling and then sit there and watch the movie/read my book/study/talk to the cute girl next to me.

the plasma company makes a profit off the plasma... why should I not get a cut... they sell it for use in products/research/whatever... its the blood banks that dont make any money...

once I got a real job I stopped selling plasma... and started giving blood again...

__________________
-=JStrider=-

~Clatto Verata Nicto

Vigilante

Haha yeah my wife passed out one time.

I still remember those cheesy DC/westgate biologicals commercials from CS

__________________
We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

KellyC

You can always donate the money from sold plasma/blood to charity. It's a win-win ain't it?

__________________
Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe?
Me: Shit happens.

dlish

kellyc, tell me how many people you know that have taken the money and passed it on. seriously.

to be honest i wasnt aware that the plasma gets on-sold to another party, but still, it becomes a transaction, an item and not an act of charity when that transaction takes place.

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

Willravel

Blood carries with it personal importance because it's an important part of you. To put a dollar amount on your blood removes illusions about theoretical, metaphysical worth and puts cash in its place. It's not necessarily a small thing for people.

JStrider

if you have a problem with selling plasma... then dont.... track down your local blood bank and donate... theres always a shortage of blood.

donating blood is a lot quicker, and you do it a lot less often then selling plasma...

__________________
-=JStrider=-

~Clatto Verata Nicto

dlish

POA, i missed your earlier post - i dont have issues with people selling sex either, its the price people put on these things. it's not the transaction which includes the offer and acceptance, but rather a finite value people put on things. you cant buy love in a transaction of sex in the same way you cant buy good health in a transaction of plasma. surely there's an intrinsic worth to these sort of actions that you cant put a dollar value to.

i do know that in some US states it is illegal to trade your organs for money for the ethical issues that arise out of it. although plasma can be restored, organs can not.

and for the record, i am a blood donor. never thought to give plasma though.... in australia, there are always donation drives because of blood shortages, but ive never seen one for plasma

__________________
An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere

I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay?
- Filthy

robot_parade

I've done it before, when money was tight during the first marriage. Seemed like a better option than a payday loan, or missing a bill payment, or asking for financial assistance from a friend or family, and still does! I do remember it being...extremely uncomfortable.

KellyC

I don't know. I'm just saying it's an option for those who think it's not right to take the money.

__________________
Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe?
Me: Shit happens.

absorbentishe

I donated blood for many years. I have given almost 5 gallons! But, my wife and I have started, well almost a year now, donating plasma. For 1, we need the extra, for 2, it's really easy. We give twice a week, and make enough to pay a bill and give to church. Being unemployed, you do what you need to do.

But I will say, the people that donate are characters. If you go long enough, you'll see the same people over and over, and they get stranger. I think most are just coming in off getting hi or drunk. Found a bag of coke in the bathroom once. That was good money day!

raging moderate

I've done it many times. it was easy and I didn't think it was all that weird or hurt very much. I had no illusions about nobility or charity, I was in it for the money from the beginning. I guess I made about $200/month on it and at the time that was a huge deal to me.

__________________

These are the good old days...



formerly Murp0434

intak758

I'm actually considering it - might "donate" on Valentine's day this year. And yes I know it's not really donating if I'm getting paid for it, but it's still doing a good thing and suffering a bit of pain for someone else. Had to get a few Payday Loans Online - Fast Cash in the last couple of months and the interest is killing me

cadre

+1. Plasma is a money business where blood is not. If people were paid to donate blood I bet there wouldn't be as much of a shortage. It isn't unethical in my mind because plasma is necessary for many things and paying for it is a more reliable way to get it than relying on donations

I have never sold plasma but I may start pretty soon. I know many people that do. They are much more lenient than they are for blood donations. Also, I had a friend that sold plasma regularly because they do STD screenings for you.

__________________
My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes.

Nepenthes

I donate blood to the Red Cross. I needed a blood transfusion when I was very young and donated blood was available to me. I have always felt it to be my personal duty to give blood to help others.

For me, it is a personal choice and I view it as good karma. I do feel good that I am potentially helping someone else as a result of my blood donation.

If a plasma drive came around, I would donate plasma.