Argumentative Essay On Plasma Donation

Plasma Donation: To Poke or Not To Poke To poke or not to poke? The question many of us ponder as we think about plasma donation and decide if that is something we’re up for or not. For some of us, the debate in our head is whether we want to help others by giving up a part of ourselves, while for others the literal fear of needles makes them question if they could actually handle the poke. But for some, it’s about making quick cash. There are a few questions you must ask yourself before you decide if donating plasma is for you; is getting paid to make a donation ethical, is the cash worth the risk, is there a reason to donate plasma besides the cash they offer?

In Wendy Glauser’s article, Payment for Plasma Raises Ethical Issues, she notes

“Donating plasma on a regular basis would seem far more costly in terms of the health and longevity for any donor than any medical professionals are inclined to share” (West 2). Learning about all aspects of plasma donation other than the measly $30 or so that you may receive could potentially add years to your life, or change your mind about earning “easy cash.” The author, Prof. Karl West, promotes learning about all the options and aspects of plasma donation before just jumping right into it. Because you may feel that your health is worth more than a few easy paychecks. This Man’s Blood Has Saved the Lives of Two Million Babies by Samantha Bresnahan of CNN, tells the story of James Harrison, a 78 year old man, who has donated plasma from his right arm, his golden arm, for the past 60 years. He had an operation in 1951, at age 14, where the doctors removed one of his lungs. During his surgery he received 13 liters of donated blood that saved his life, and because of that Harrison became a donor himself. Once becoming a donor it was discovered that that plasma in his blood contained the answer to a serious

Glauser’s article, Payment for Plasma Raises Ethical Issues, and West’s article, The True Price of Plasma Donation, both bring up the point about getting paid to donate. Glauser feels that it is unethical and proves that throughout her article, even getting a quote from the vice chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, Dr. Ryan Meili, previously mentioned which supports her stance. While West is more concerned with the donors health and wellbeing, and money over ruling them to be bad. Plasma is needed all over the place which is partly why the incentives are a part of the donating process for plasma but both authors see that as taking away from the true definition of donating. Brensahan’s article, This Man’s Blood Has Saved the Lives of Two Million Babies, portrays a simple man who donates solely to give back to others, because at one point in his life other peoples’ donations of their blood saved him. Bresnahan doesn’t bring up being paid to donate at all. She only covers how much one person, Harrison specifically, can change the lives of millions by simply giving back -no strings