October 9, 2023

#YouAreMyMedicine: Advocating for Lifesaving Plasma Donations

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Every year, at the beginning of October, the primary immunodeficiency (PID) community comes together to shed light on the need for plasma collection during International Plasma Awareness Week (IPAW), organised by the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association on October 2-6, 2023.

This year, IPOPI and its members joined IPAW under the slogan #YouAreMyMedicine. Our campaign spoke directly to donors, expressed profound gratitude for their generosity, and inspired new individuals to step forward and start donating. The message was clear: plasma donors are true lifelines for patients who depend on these life-saving medicines.

It is estimated that 50-60% of patients with primary immunodeficiencies depend on immunoglobulin replacement therapy derived from human plasma. With no alternatives available, these therapies become indispensable. For these individuals, life-long immunoglobulin replacement therapy is not merely a treatment, but the path towards a normal, healthy life.

Understanding this critical need, IPOPI joined this campaign to highlight the urgency for increased and regionally balanced plasma collection to ensure continuous patient access to therapies.