In the past whenever I thought of giving blood it was always by donation at the local Red Cross. Imagine my surprise when upon moving to Reno, I discovered a company that actually compensated you for donating your blood plasma. It seemed that most everywhere I went; I met someone who was picking up extra money by donating their blood plasma at the Grifols Biomat USA, Inc. Reno Center. The center is conveniently located downtown at 270 East 6th Street, Reno, NV 89501, Telephone 775-329-9421. Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm, Saturday 8:00am to 2:00pm and closed Sundays.
Curious, and sometimes with too much month left at the end of the money, I went and checked the Grifols Biomat Center out. There is a rigorous screening process which must be completed prior to being an active plasma donor. Donating your blood plasma is unique in that the needles used are thicker than the needles used in a red blood cell donation center like the Red Cross. I did not make the cut as a plasma donor.
Here are some of the basic guidelines to being a plasma donor and making extra money for your plasma:
• In good health
• 18 or older
• Weighs at least 110 lbs.
• Valid identification
• Permanent address
Next is a medical screening as required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where a medical history is obtained, tests, including a urinalysis, will be given for syphilis, hepatitis, HIV, plasma protein and hematocrit levels. The hematocrit measures how much space in the blood is occupied by red blood cells and is useful when evaluating a person for anemia. Drug screening is also mandatory.
Once you make it through the screening process you can start donating and making extra money. In Reno it is between $25.00 and $30.00 a donation. You can donate your plasma up to two times every seven days or two times a week. On average you can make an extra $217.00 or more a month. The donor receives cash at the end of the plasma donation. The investment in your time is approximately two hours more or less. Considering the average daily wage this is a sweet way to bring additional income into the house and know that your collected plasma can be used to make medicines that help saves lives every day.
Some of the medicines that are derived by blood plasma are: Immunoglobulin; Clotting Factors; Plasma Volume Expanders and other life saving medicines derived from blood plasma are still being discovered.
If this sounds at all like something you might want to consider as a way to stretch out the month, then give the Reno Grifols Biomat Center a call or stop in to schedule your screening and just maybe pick up some extra money and do a good deed at the same time. Now you know, Reno.
