Is donating blood transactional?

15 comments

1. Sometimes they give you a t-shirt

2. They’re not actually selling blood when they refer to that. It’s plasma, and yes, they get paid for it.

3. Donating plasma is compensated, but donating blood isn’t exactly a money maker. When a certain blood type is in demand, blood drives tend to pull a decent amount of donors with minimal compensation – e.g. a slice of pizza, $5 gift card, et cetera. Churches often tend to volunteer en masse for a drive, and there’s also a notable amount of drives that occur at high schools (of dubious legality).

   Donating plasma can bring in some good cash, though. My wife made $50 per donation every week for a few months.

4. Some are, but most are purely voluntary with no compensation beyond a snack and maybe a shirt. Plasma donations are paid for more often, though.

5. You can’t sell blood. You donate it. There is no money exchanged when donating blood in America.

6. As I understand it donating plasma is for medical research and donating blood is for saving lives.

7. You can get paid, but, you are technically paid for your time and you donate the blood/plasma.

8. Blood is usually donated. Plasma you get paid for.

9. You can sell plasma. People usually donate blood for free.

10. Interesting. Most of the time we get chastised by people from other countries for NOT compensating donors.

11. We donate our blood for a cookie and donate our body for a sticker

12. You get juice and a cookie. That’s why so many pre schoolers love to give blood.

    (It’s a joke. We don’t let people give blood til kindergarten)

    (Ok that’s a joke too. Have to be 18 or have parent’s permission)

13. No. While not illegal, it is discouraged to pay blood donors and the blood must be labeled as from a paid donor.

    Paying plasma donors is more common, but typically the plasma is further processed into other products rather than transfused directly like blood.

14. Traveling and living outside of the United States can disqualify you from blood and plasma donation. If you have traveled or lived outside of the US you will need to check to see if you are allowed to donate in the US.

15. You mostly donate blood.

    Plasma can be sold. I did it as a very broke college student. Plasma donation centers are generally filled with people who are desperate and/or can’t hold down a job. I made like 80$ a week for two donations. It wasn’t really worth it, given all the time I spent waiting in line.