Approximately 300,000 European patients rely on plasma-derived medicines every day to treat a range of critical medical conditions. These include rare, genetic, and chronic conditions or life-threatening medical situations resulting from accidents and trauma. For these patients, plasma-derived medicines are a lifeline, helping the body replace missing or deficient proteins. Without stable access to these treatments, many will not survive or have will a severely reduced quality of life.

Significant volumes of plasma, which are needed to make the plasma-derived medicines used every day by European patients, come from outside the European Union (EU). Some 38% of the plasma used in Europe (or 30% in the EU) today for medicines production comes from the U.S. Countries have the potential to secure this critical resource for European patients by encouraging more plasma donations from their donor communities. Today, several European countries have put in place innovative approaches that show how this is possible.

Manning & Grabowski (2018). Bates White Economic Consulting.