Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Question: "I have a bruise, can I still donate?"Answer: "Try showing the other arm… or put a tea bag on it so it'll go away sooner."Question: "I was just sick?Can I still donate?"Answer: "If you were on antibiotics or any other kind of medication, don't mention that."These are the types of conversations that I've seen on the FaceBook Group, Donadores de plasma en Calexico.Mexican citizens utilize groups like this to look for advice on donating plasma in the United States.Why?Because they're not allowed to donate plasma in Mexico.In the U.S., plasma donation clinics are usually located near colleges or in places where there's high rates of poverty, but about 10 years ago, plasma clinics started popping up near the U.S. and Mexico border.And now hundreds of Mexican citizens cross the U.S. border to sell their plasma.Plasma that is used for life-saving medications.That's because paid plasma donations are only legal in the U.S. and four other countries; Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary.These other countries, however, limit donations to give more time for recovery and less chance of fatigue or sickness.The U.S. allows donations to be made twice a week, that's 104 donations a year if you never miss an appointment.The average center along the border collects more plasma than centers nationwide, and more than "30,000 Mexican nationals" donate plasma at Grifols every year.Donation centers in the United States have promotions, offering bonus cash to people who donate regularly and often.Not wanting to miss a donation session, donors find ways to give their plasma despite illness or bruising.Nurses who work for plasma donation centers also use the FaceBook groups to lure in patients with advertising promotions or alerting donors to available appointments or empty waiting rooms.In my thesis, I follow the journey of two Mexican nationals, Alanís Cruz and Francisco, who cross the border into Calexico to donate plasma at a Grifols collection center.I also follow the journey of journalist Kathleen Mclaughlin who receives medicine treatments made from plasma collected at these clinics.
Author: Alvarez, Amaray Delyssa
Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6986545652
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