Month: February 2019

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

 

What is the Plasma Donation Program?

Access Biologicals’ Plasma Donation Program educates and recruits patients who have been diagnosed with certain illnesses. Specifically, we look for patients who have either been diagnosed with an infectious disease in the past 2-3 weeks or who have ever been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or who carry rare, polyclonal antibodies.

Your plasma will be collected via a process called plasmapheresis. This procedure is similar to donating whole blood (i.e. Red Cross). In the plasmapheresis process your plasma is collected alone returning your red blood cells back to you. This process typically leaves you without the blood donation side effects of being dizzy or weak. Your body will regenerate plasma collected by the donor centers within 24 hours. The FDA allows a patient to donate up to twice in a seven day period of time.

If you have anyone of one the diseases we look for and you meet our specific donor qualifications, you can become a plasma donor for this vital quality control material. You will be compensated each and every time you donate (up to $500 per donation, based on qualification).

 

Why Participate?

 

The importance of these donor programs can not be stressed enough. There is no alternative to human volunteers as a source of these vital materials. Plasma, collected through a process called plasmapheresis, contains the antibodies that are used to make positive controls in diagnostic test kits. Without human volunteer donors, these critical diagnostic test kits will not be available to patients seeking quick and accurate diagnoses.

For more information on how you can take part in this compensated program, please contact us by email at info@accessclinical.com or call 1-800-510-4003. You can also visit our website at http://www.accessclinical.com.

What is Plasmapheresis?

Plasmapheresis is a process similar to donating blood. The fluid portion, called plasma, is removed from the red blood cells using a sterile, disposable collection system. The red blood cells and platelets are returned to the donor while the plasma, which contains the antibodies, is retained.  Due to the red blood cells and platelets being returned to the donor, plasmapheresis can be performed up to two times within a seven day period.

Plasma is the straw colored, liquid portion of the blood that is mainly composed of water. It contains the antibodies that are used to make positive controls in diagnostic test kits.

Donations are made at a Access Biologicals’s FDA licensed plasma collection centers by an experienced healthcare professional. The plasmapheresis process usually only takes about an hour.  Before donating a unit of plasma, it is best to drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids such as water. Coffee, tea and other caffeine containing liquids should be avoid due to their diuretic action.

 

Donor Requirements

Becoming a Donor

• You must weigh at least 110 lbs.
• You must have 2 pieces of identification. Photo I.D. and proof of Social Security Number or IRS Number
• You must have proof of current local address within last 60 days. We can mail you a postcard if you do not have a current rent receipt or utility bill.
• You must be at least 18 years of age (written parental consent if under 18)
• You will be reimbursed for your time. The amount of compensation depends on the program for which you qualify.
• You must be negative for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C (unless you are donating for these programs)

How to participate?

If you qualify to participate, you will be scheduled to visit an FDA licensed plasma collection facility. The facilities used for these donations meet the highest FDA standards, and all materials utilized in the plasma collection process are completely sterile and disposed of after each donation.

 

Your First Plasma Donation:

●	For your first appointment, plan on spending about 2 hours at the donor center.
●	While you wait to donate, you will have your blood pressure checked as well as your pulse, temperature, and weight.
●	You will meet with a health care provider who will explain how the plasmapheresis process works.
●	You will meet with a doctor and be given a free physical examination.
●	You will also be asked about your medical history.
●	You may be given a urinalysis and other basic lab procedures.
●	When it is time for you to donate, a nurse or a phlebotomist will direct you to a donor station where an IV will be placed in your arm to collect the needed plasma.
●	You will be monitored throughout the whole donation process by a nurse who will ensure that all safety procedures are being met.
●	After the donation you will be paid right there at the center up to $500  per donation).
●	Further donations will then be scheduled.

Subsequent visits generally only take 45 minutes to an hour. You will not need to go through the paper work and the physical examination at your return visits. You will be paid at the center after each donation, and the recruiter will continue to schedule you for subsequent visits as long as your antibody levels stay high.

How are my donations regulated?

 

 

Plasma collections are one of the most highly regulated procedures in the American health industry. Today, there are over 400 FDA-licensed antibody collection facilities across the United States which perform approximately 13 million collection procedures a year, and provide 60 percent of the world’s needs for antibody-based products. The antibodies collected are tested, registered and approved before ever being released for therapeutic or diagnostic use.

 

Where do I go to donate?

Access Biologicals contracts with all major donor facilities in the Unites States. When possible, you will be referred to a center that is local to your area.  If travel is necessary, all of your expenses will be covered, (i.e. mileage driven, flight, hotel, and ground transportation) ensuring that you will not have any out of pocket expenses.

 

How often can I donate plasma?

The body replaces the plasma removed during the donation process quickly; therefore, the FDA allows you to donate as often as twice in a seven-day period, with at least 24 hours between donations.

 

How much plasma do I donate?

The FDA is very strict about how much plasma can be collected. The amount of plasma you donate depends on your weight.

Do you currently have “acute” or “Chronic” hepatitis B?  If so we have a specialty research program designed to help you as well as the research and diagnostic communities.  Your plasma is a crucial component for invitro-diagnostic companies in the manufacturing and creation of the test kits used to diagnose patients with this virus as well as further research into the virus.

Participants who qualify and participate can earn up to $500 per visit and you can safely donate 2x in a 7 day period based on the FDA guidelines for donor safety.  Plasma is the yellow, watery substance in the red blood cells which house various proteins as well as the antibodies for your diagnosis.  The plasma is separated via a procedure called plasmapheresis and your red blood cells are returned to you which is why you can donate 2x in a 7 day period.  Donating plasma is a very safe and simple procedure and it is performed in licensed, FDA regulated plasma facilities under the direction of the centers medical director.

To learn more and to see if you may qualify please visit us at http://www.accessclinical.com, or you may reach us at 800-510-4003 to discuss the program further.

Have you been diagnosed as having a Thyroid Disorder like Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism? Do you have desire to help others and researchers?  We have a plasma donation program designed just for you and we need patients to participate.  Plasma is a vital component in the very test kit(s) that were used in aiding your diagnosis.  Plasma contains proteins and antibodies and the researchers need those antibodies to create the positive controls to diagnose other patients.  Without plasma donors such as yourself these very test kits run a risk of going on back order making a speedy and accurate diagnosis more difficult when physicians or hospitals need the kits to make the diagnosis.

The plasma donation program is called plasmapheresis where your plasma is spun off from the red blood cells and you get your red cells returned to you thru this process.  Plasma donation programs are so safe that the FDA allows you to do so more frequently than say a whole blood drive.  Plasma is “rebuilt” within a 24 hour period allowing you to donate twice in a 7 day period, whereas whole blood you can only do so every 56 days/8 weeks because it takes your body this long to recoup/re-build the red cells donated.

Participants who qualify and donate are compensated in the program each time they donate and can earn $300 a visit ($600 or more per week) for donating plasma to help others.  All travel related expenses are pre-paid by us to get you to/from a facility nearest you to participate and you still get your full payment at the conclusion of each visit.

To learn more please visit http://www.accessclinical.com , or you may reach us at 800-510-4003 to speak to a live representative.

Basic Qualifications:-

• Must have, or have access to your blood test results showing your antibodies which are your TG/Thyroglobulin and your TPO/Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies.  We cannot use a TSH, T3 or T4 result to qualify you as those are “hormone” function tests and not the actual antibodies produced by your diagnosis.
• Must be HIV/HCV/HBV Negative
• Must be 18-65 years in age and weigh at least 110 pounds or more

 

What is Hashimoto’s disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland. Your thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck. Your thyroid gland makes hormones that control many activities in your body, including how fast your heart beats and how fast you burn calories.

In people with Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system makes antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. This damages your thyroid gland, so it does not make enough thyroid hormone. Hashimoto’s disease often leads to hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, when severe, can cause your metabolism to slow down, which can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and other symptoms.

What are some of the symptoms:-

You may not have any symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease for years. The first sign is often an enlarged thyroid, called a goiter. The goiter may cause the front of your neck to look swollen. You may feel it in your throat, or it may be hard to swallow. But most people don’t have any symptoms, and goiters rarely cause pain.

Some women with Hashimoto’s disease have problems getting pregnant.

Hashimoto’s disease often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include feeling tired, feeling cold when others do not, constipation, weight gain, and heavier-than-normal menstrual periods.

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Have you been diagnosed as having Celiac disease? Do you have desire to help others and researchers?  We have a plasma donation program designed just for you and we need patients to participate.  Plasma is a vital component in the very test kit(s) that were used in aiding your diagnosis.  Plasma contains proteins and antibodies and the researchers need those antibodies to create the positive controls to diagnose other patients.  Without plasma donors such as yourself these very test kits run a risk of going on back order making a speedy and accurate diagnosis more difficult when physicians or hospitals need the kits to make the diagnosis.

The plasma donation program is called plasmapheresis where your plasma is spun off from the red blood cells and you get your red cells returned to you thru this process.  Plasma donation programs are so safe that the FDA allows you to do so more frequently than say a whole blood drive.  Plasma is “rebuilt” within a 24 hour period allowing you to donate twice in a 7 day period, whereas whole blood you can only do so every 56 days/8 weeks because it takes your body this long to recoup/re-build the red cells donated.

Participants who qualify and donate are compensated in the program each time they donate and can earn $300 a visit ($600 or more per week) for donating plasma to help others.  All travel related expenses are pre-paid by us to get you to/from a facility nearest you to participate and you still get your full payment at the conclusion of each visit.

To learn more please visit http://www.accessclinical.com , or you may reach us at 800-510-4003 to speak to a live representative.

Basic Qualifications:-

• Must have or have access to your Celiac disease blood test/panel- these tests will include:- IGA (Immunoblobulin-A), TTG (IgG/IgA) (Tissue transglutaminase) and Gliadin (Deamidated IgG and IgA)
• Must be HIV/HCV/HBV Negative
• Must be 18-65 years in age and weigh at least 110 pounds or more

 

What is Celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an immune disease in which people can’t eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. If you have celiac disease and eat foods with gluten, your immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It may also be in other products like vitamins and supplements, hair and skin products, toothpastes, and lip balm.

Celiac disease affects each person differently. Symptoms may occur in the digestive system, or in other parts of the body. One person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person may be irritable or depressed. Irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children. Some people have no symptoms.

Celiac disease is genetic. Blood tests can help your doctor diagnose the disease. Your doctor may also need to examine a small piece of tissue from your small intestine. Treatment is a diet free of gluten.

 

 

Have you been diagnosed as having Crohn’s disease?  Have a desire to help others like yourself?  If so, we have a plasma donation program designed for you where your plasma is being used for further research but it’s also being used to help diagnose others with this disease.  Plasma is a vital component in the manufacturing of positive controls in test kits.  Without plasma donors such as yourself these test kits run the risk of going on back order hindering the prompt diagnosis of a patient when it is needed.

Participants who participate are compensated for their time and donation and all travel related expenses to get you to and from the center is provided by us as well.  To learn more please visit http://www.accessclinical.com, or you may call and speak to a live representative at 800-510-4003.

Basic Qualifications/Testing Required:-

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Panel- These tests include:- ANCA  (P/C), MPO/Myeloperoxidase antibody, ASCA/Saccharomyces (G/A) antibodies.

• Participants should have or have access to these blood test results as part of their diagnosis
• Participants must be HIV/HCV/HBV Negative
• Participants must be 18-65 years in age and weigh at least 110 pounds or more

 

What is Crohn’s Disease:-

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. Inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease can involve different areas of the digestive tract in different people.

The inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissue. Crohn’s disease can be both painful and debilitating, and sometimes may lead to life-threatening complications.

While there’s no known cure for Crohn’s disease, therapies can greatly reduce its signs and symptoms and even bring about long-term remission. With treatment, many people with Crohn’s disease are able to function well.

What are some of the symptoms:-

n some people with Crohn’s disease, only the last segment of the small intestine (ileum) is affected. In others, the disease is confined to the colon (part of the large intestine). The most common areas affected by Crohn’s disease are the last part of the small intestine and the colon.

Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease can range from mild to severe. They usually develop gradually, but sometimes will come on suddenly, without warning. You may also have periods of time when you have no signs or symptoms (remission).

When the disease is active, signs and symptoms may include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Blood in your stool
• Mouth sores
• Reduced appetite and weight loss
• Pain or drainage near or around the anus due to inflammation from a tunnel into the skin (fistula)