New Pay-for-Blood Plasma Business Coming to Providence - Elected Official Warns of "Exploitation"

New Pay-for-Blood Plasma Business Coming to Providence - Elected Official Warns of "Exploitation"

A new pay-for-blood plasma center is slated to open in Providence, and the City Councilor whose ward it will be in is raising concerns. 

Councilor Justin Roias says he believes that OctaPharma — which according to Roias is expected to open where a Walgreens was last located at 465 Branch Avenue — has an “element of exploitation” to its business model. 

Roias has represented Ward 4 since 2022; the seat was previously held by Nick Narducci. 

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“RR Company of America, LLC confirmed that their tenant will be OctaPharma, Inc., a company that operates blood plasma donation sites,” wrote Roias in a message to constituents earlier this month. “These businesses collect, test, and supply human blood plasma for life-saving therapies and often compensate donors for their plasma contributions.”

According to the company’s website, “New Plasma Donors Can Earn Over $500 During the First 35 Days!” 

“In addition to getting paid for each plasma donation, you can make even more money during special promotions and bonuses throughout the year,” the company touts, which has operations around the country.

On its website, OctaPharma explains the need for plasma as the following. 

"Plasma makes up 55% of your blood. Plasma is the liquid part of the blood carrying antibodies, clotting factors and proteins through the body," writes OctaPharma. "Plasma is often referred to as 'the gift of life,' because it is used to treat medical emergencies such as trauma, shock and burns. The proteins in your plasma can also be extracted to create medications for rare chronic conditions such as autoimmune disorders and hemophilia. In most cases, plasma proteins cannot be manufactured synthetically, so proteins from your donated plasma are the only source for medical therapies for millions of people each year."

Its business model has not gone unnoticed. 

“Blood money: Saving lives or exploiting you? Health, ethical questions about donors selling plasma,” reported CBS affiliate ActionNewsJax in Jacksonville, Florida in February 2024. 

“There’s a lot of the controversy around plasma versus blood donation is that it preys on on the poor,” said Dr. Judson Edwards who is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Blood Service Economics and studies incentives for plasma donation, in the article. “It’s definitely a high profit-making situation.”

Roias says he has concerns. 

“While it's their legal right to operate, I want to be transparent about my thoughts regarding these type of businesses,” Roias continued. “Blood plasma donation sites have been increasing across New England, including Rhode Island. On a broader level, I believe there's an element of exploitation in their business model, especially during this period of economic vulnerability, where these businesses seem to be thriving. Residents may feel compelled to donate plasma for compensation to meet basic needs like rent, groceries, and utilities, while the value of plasma on the market is significantly higher.”

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) said that such businesses require a license by the state. 

"There are sites in Rhode Island that do plasma donations. One example is CSL Plasma," said Joseph Wendelken, spokesperson for RIDOH. 

"There is no specific RIDOH license or application process for plasma donation sites," he added. "However, if testing of plasma will be done on-site, the entity is required to hold a CLIA certification (which is issued by federal CMS) and a laboratory license (which is issued by RIDOH)."

 

Property in Focus 

In his statement, Roias noted that the new company had a right to operate at the location — which he said since Walgreens’ departure has presented numerous issues in the ward. 

“When Walgreens ceased operations shortly after I took office, I began closely monitoring this property for the health and interest of our neighborhood. As I've mentioned at several neighborhood meetings, obtaining information about the building’s future has been challenging due to the transitions in ownership,” said Roias who said that the vacant Walgreens, “was being plagued by graffiti and illegal dumping.”

“Trucks were dumping mattresses behind the building, and it quickly became a target for vandalism, negatively impacting our neighborhood’s appearance and safety,” he said. 

Upon learning that OctaPharma would be the new tenant, Roias said the following. 

“I’ve received mixed reactions from neighbors regarding the establishment of a blood plasma donation site in our neighborhood. While some see it as a beneficial addition, others have concerns. It's important to note that RR Company of America has the legal right to lease the building to OctaPharma without needing a variance or special use permit from the Zoning Board. This means their business operations comply with existing zoning laws," he said. 

“In the coming weeks, I will meet with representatives from OctaPharma to discuss ongoing construction, their plans to integrate with and support the neighborhood, and how they intend to give back to the community. I will also invite them to our next neighborhood meeting to address any questions or concerns directly with residents,” wrote Roias. 

Roias did not respond to request for additional comment, and specifically, what he is looking for the company to do as a community partner. 

On Wednesday, OctaPharma provided the following statement to GoLocal: 

With more than 175 donation centers in 34 states, we look forward to expanding in Rhode Island. We closed a center in Brockton, MA in 2023. The decision was the result of our ongoing assessment of centers, locations, resources, and donor bases.

Octapharma Plasma is committed to improve the quality of life of everyone we serve through the life-changing power of plasma. The donated plasma we receive is used to develop our portfolio of products for patients in 118 countries. Our donation centers hire locally, creating approximately 50 new jobs per center. Our donation centers support the community with approximately $5 million in local economic impact.

Octapharma Plasma has a diverse group of donors that come from various economic populations. We encourage everyone to consider donating and we are grateful for all those that choose to do so with us. We encourage you to learn about some of our loyal, long-time donors featured earlier this year:

 

First published 7/17/2024 6:02 AM

Last updated 7/17/2024 11:28 AM

PHOTO: Unsplash/Igal Ness