Health Minister Terry Lake has opened the door for a private company to collect blood plasma in B.C. The firm, Canadian Plasma Resources, has only one outlet so far, in Saskatchewan. After being shown the door in Ontario, it is looking for other locations to expand.
Plasma is a straw-coloured liquid in which blood cells are suspended. The company collects it by attaching donors to a centrifuge that draws blood, extracts the plasma and returns the red and white blood cells intact. Its components are used to treat a number of health ailments, including hemophilia and immune disorders.
Read the full article on the Times Colonist web site.