Plasma Donations Rise Sharply in Lleida

The Banc de Sang i Teixits said on May 14 that plasma donations in Lleida reached a record in 2025, extending a multi-year rise as health authorities push donors to alternate plasma and blood. Lleida registered 1,984 plasma donations last year, up 10% from 2024 and 68% from 2019, according to figures reported by Segre and attributed to local blood bank officials. The increase came as blood donations moved the other way. In 2025, Lleida recorded 6,051 blood donations, down 6.3% from 2024 and the lowest total in seven years, Segre reported. ### How big was the increase in Lleida? Lleida recorded 1,984 plasma donations in 2025, the highest level in the past seven years, according to the figures published on May 14. The same data show a 68% increase from 2019 and a 10% rise from 2024. By contrast, 6,051 blood donations were registered in Lleida last year. (segre.com) That was 6.3% fewer than in 2024 and 17.6% below the 2019 level, according to the report. ### Why are officials asking donors to switch between blood and plasma? The Banc de Sang i Teixits said it is promoting alternating blood and plasma donation because plasma has become as necessary as blood for a range of medical uses. (segre.com) Segre reported that the campaign is being rolled out this year in Lleida under the slogan “Quan cal, hi som.” Catalonia is pursuing greater plasma self-sufficiency, the blood bank said, as European countries work to reduce dependence on outside supply after the pandemic. The Banc de Sang i Teixits says plasma is indispensable for producing immunoglobulins used to treat autoimmune diseases and immune-system disorders. (segre.com) ### What is driving demand for plasma? Catalonia has more than 3,000 people who need plasma-based medicines for life and more than 4,000 who receive transfusions each year, Segre reported, citing the Banc de Sang. The same report said current donors supply enough plasma to obtain only 39% of the immunoglobulins required. (segre.com) The Banc de Sang i Teixits says plasma cannot be manufactured and must come from voluntary donors. The organization has set a target of 65,000 plasma donations a year to guarantee treatment for patients with immune deficiencies. ### How often can people donate plasma? The Banc de Sang i Teixits says plasma can be donated every 15 days because the body replenishes it more quickly than whole blood. (segre.com) The donation process lasts about 45 to 60 minutes, according to the organization. People who want to donate must generally be between 18 and 70 years old, weigh more than 50 kilograms and be in good health, the blood bank says. (bancsang.net) The same eligibility page says donors do not need to be fasting. ### Where can donors in Lleida give plasma now? Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova in Lleida is listed by the Banc de Sang i Teixits as a plasma donation site. (segre.com) The organization also lists mobile blood-and-plasma drives in Lleida, including events at Col·legi Episcopal on May 13 and Escola La Mitjana on May 14. The Banc de Sang i Teixits says appointments and donation information are available through its plasma donation pages. (segre.com) As of May 14, the organization’s website said Catalonia had logged 11,892 plasma donations in 2026 on its Spanish-language page and 8,808 on its Catalan-language page; the discrepancy was visible on the site and was not explained there. (bancsang.net) (bancsang.net)