Frequently asked questions
Your blood is made up of four main components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Plasma is the yellow, liquid portion of your blood that serves as the carrier for cells and other blood components. Plasma is the liquid portion of your blood and primarily composed of water. Blood plasma is collected for its dissolved proteins, clotting factors, and various antibodies to create life-saving medical therapies.
B Positive donors are financially compensated for the time they spend donating blood plasma. New (first-time) Donors can earn over $700* in their first month, and regular, Repeat Donors can earn up to $130* a week thereafter! Additionally, if you successfully refer donors to B Positive, you can earn an extra $10 per referral.
Qualified donors are eligible to donate up to twice a week and will receive payment in the form of a reloadable B Positive Visa debit card. To view compensation available at your preferred B Positive center, visit the center's page.
*May vary by location and donor.
Donors are issued a reloadable B Positive Visa Debit card at their first donation. All compensation, including referral bonuses, are then paid to your B Positive Visa Debit card. This card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted. It can be used as credit, debit, at cash-back sites, and at ATMs.
To view our current compensation and bonus programs, please click here.
Please note: Only one payment transaction is payable per B Positive Plasma Visa card per day. If you qualify for a bonus (life a referral bonus) on your donation day, then you will be paid for either your donation of the bonus on that day, and the other payment will be applied to your card the next day. Only one referral is payable per day. If two are payable on the same day, the second one will be paid the following day.
There are 4 free ways to check your balance:
1) Sign up for text message alerts, text “JOIN” to 33433
2) Call 877-430-3628
3) Register for an account at www.mypaysign.com
4) Download the Paysign App in the Apple or Google Apps stores
Referral bonuses will be paid to your B Positive VISA debit card after your referred friend completes two donations and you return for your next donation (bonus paid upon completion of your donation). To be eligible for a referral bonus your friend must make an appointment online in advance using the personalized link (so you get the credit for your referral!) that you share with them from your donor portal (links and sharing buttons available for use when you LOGIN). Referral bonuses for walk-in donors do not qualify. Referral bonuses apply to first-time donors at B Positive Plasma only.
Please note: Only one referral is payable per day. If two referral bonuses are eligible for payment on the same day, then one bonus will be paid after your current donation and the second one will be paid after your next donation.
Donors must:
- Be between the ages of 18 and 65. Donors become ineligible as of their 66th birthday.
- Weigh between 110 and 400 pounds
- First-time donors must live near their B Positive Plasma center — within 50 miles of your chosen B Positive Plasma center
First-time donors* must provide the following documentation:
- Valid government-issued photo ID (cannot be expired)
- Original Social Security Card or an acceptable alternative
- First-time donors must have proof of current address within 50 miles of your chosen B Positive Plasma center
Eligibility to participate in our program is determined during your first donation appointment. Select a center and schedule an appointment to get started.
*This information is also required if you have not donated at B Positive Plasma in 6 months or longer.
All first-time donors must present the required documentation to register as a donor at B Positive Plasma. If you have questions about documentation, please contact us prior to scheduling an appointment.
All first-time donors must provide:
-
A valid, current (not expired) government or state-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license, residency card, or passport.
-
-
Your photo ID cannot be expired. Please double check the expiration date on your ID prior to scheduling your first donation.
-
-
A proof of Social Security Number (SSN)
-
-
We accept both original and copies of Social Security Cards (SSC). If you do not have your original SSC or a copy, you must provide one of the following as an alternative proof of your full nine-digit Social Security Number (SSN). The alternative documents must have your full name, and the name must exactly match the name on your photo ID (e.g., if your photo ID has a “Jr.”, your proof of SSN must also have a “Jr.”). We cannot accept any documents that only display a partial SSN.
-
-
A tax document such as a W2, 1099 or 1040 that contains your full legal name and SSN
-
An official school transcript or student loan document that contains your full legal name and SSN
-
A bank document or loan document that contains your full legal name and SSN
-
A court document or other legal document that contains your full legal name and SSN
-
-
-
Proof of your Current Address within 50 miles of a B Positive Plasma location*
-
-
We verify all addresses using Google Maps, your address must be equal to or less than 50.0 miles from our location in Google Maps to be eligible. Donors must provide proof of a permanent, residential address. PO Boxes are not acceptable.
-
If your current address is not on your photo ID, you must bring one of the following documents that contains your full name and current address:
-
-
A current mortgage statement or lease dated within 90 days. Electronic documents are acceptable.
-
A bank statement or paystub dated within 90 days. Electronic documents are acceptable.
-
Other government-issued documentation, including from the judiciary, dated within 90 days. Electronic documents are acceptable.
-
A utility bill that contains your full name and address dated within 60 days. Electronic documents are acceptable.
-
A personal bill (cell phone, medical, etc.) that contains your full name and address and is dated within 60 days. Electronic documents are acceptable.
-
Personal mail with a postmarked envelope that contains your full name and address and is dated within 60 days. Electronic documents are not acceptable.
-
-
*Some exceptions may apply to the donor residence proximity requirement, such as being a college student or being military personnel. Contact us if you have questions about documentation or eligibility. Documentation requirements are subject to change.
If you previously donated at B Positive Plasma and are returning after a gap of more than 4 months, you are required to bring only a photo ID and proof of your current address. Contact us if you are interested in returning to our program for instructions.
All donor information is safely secured at all times. All test results are kept strictly confidential, unless the donor gives permission to share them or we are required to do so by law. Donors will be notified by our management team or medical professionals regarding the finding of any adverse test results.
Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day to ensure you are well-hydrated. Eat a well-balanced meal within two hours of your donation appointment. Avoid fatty, greasy foods and significant amounts of dairy. You will not be compensated for fatty donations of plasma, though fatty donations can easily be avoided with a healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy diet and drinking plenty of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages the day before and the day of donating is very important. Prior to your donation, we recommend avoiding strenuous exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking.
All test results are kept strictly confidential unless the donor gives permission to share it or we are required to do so by law. Donors will be notified by our management team or medical professionals regarding the finding of any adverse test results.
A new donor’s first donation visit typically takes about 2.5-3 hours due to the extra health history and medical screening, such as the required physical exam performed by one of our B Positive medical professionals. After the first visit, most donation visits are around ninety (90) minutes in duration.
Yes, individuals who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection and are feeling healthy and well AND are at least 14 days symptom-free are eligible to donate plasma as long as you meet all current eligibility criteria. No documentation of the COVID-19 infection or antibodies is required to donate.
Individuals that receive a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination are eligible to resume donating plasma 1 day after receiving the vaccine as long as they are feeling well and healthy. For example, if you receive a vaccine on Monday, you are eligible to donate again on Tuesday.
Individuals that receive a single dose COVID-19 vaccination are eligible to resume donating plasma 4 weeks after receiving the vaccine as long as they are feeling well and healthy.
If you are experiencing any side effects or are not feeling well and healthy, you should wait to resume donating plasma until you are feeling well and healthy again.
The first donation is primarily used for testing to ensure the safety and quality of your plasma. Your first donation can only be used for life-saving medical therapies after a second donation is made, and both donations come back from testing with negative results in accordance with the standards set forth by the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA).
Once you donate two or more donations, the plasma will be used to produce life-saving therapies. These therapies can provide treatment to patients with conditions such as hemophilia and immune system deficiencies, and help treat and prevent diseases like tetanus, rabies, measles, hepatitis B, and rubella. In addition, hospitals and emergency rooms all over the world use plasma-derived products to treat injuries such as shock and severe burns. Worldwide, the annual demand for plasma exceeds twenty million liters. It is important to remember that plasma is not a substance that can be synthetically created in a lab. Donors are needed to help supply pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and research facilities with the plasma they need to save lives.
Whole blood donation and plasma donation meet very different needs in the community and medical world. Donating whole blood involves the collection of red blood cells, in addition to plasma and platelets. Whole blood donors can only donate one pint of blood every 56 days in accordance with FDA guidelines.
Donating plasma involves removing and keeping the liquid component of blood while returning the red blood cells and other blood components back to the donor’s body using a specialized process called plasmapheresis. The process of donating plasma does take longer because blood components must be separated and returned to the body in a few cycles. This is why donors are capable of donating more frequently – plasma donors can donate as often as twice a week (but not two days in a row), whereas whole blood donors can only donate once every 56 days (or 128 days if they did a double red cell donation).
After your donation, we recommend drinking plenty of fluids and eating a snack or light meal. Avoid smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol after your donation. Keep the needle site clean and dry and keep the bandage on for at least 2-3 hours. If bleeding persists, raise your arm above your heart and apply pressure. If fainting or dizziness occurs, lie down and ask someone to give you a cold beverage (non-diet sodas and juices are best) and place a cool towel on your neck and forehead. If any symptoms persist, contact our facility and ask to speak with a member of our medical personnel. If one or more symptoms are severe, you should seek professional medical attention as soon as possible.
According to regulations, individuals who are pregnant cannot donate plasma. Women are allowed to donate again six (6) months after giving birth, with medical clearance.
Select a location and schedule your first donation appointment online! Appointments are required at some locations and recommended at all others. The following locations will accept walk-ins during operational hours: Aramingo Avenue (Philadelphia, PA) and Cheltenham (Wyncote, PA).
Donating plasma is similar to donating blood. A donor will be comfortably reclined in a chair during the actual donation. A needle is placed in one arm and the blood goes through specialized plasmapheresis equipment that separates your plasma from the rest of the blood components. A donor’s red blood cells are then returned to the body using the same needle. All materials that come into contact with a donor’s blood during the plasmapheresis process are sterile and single-use only.
You can donate plasma up to 2 times in a 7 day period, with at least 1 day between donations.
B Positive Plasma reserves the right to not allow someone to donate plasma at any time.
Thousands of people safely donate plasma every day. All of the materials that come in contact with each donor’s blood are sterile, opened in the donor’s presence, and used only once before being disposed of. The equipment that is used to collect the donor’s plasma never comes into contact with the donor’s blood. Donor safety is our number one priority and we aim to meet or exceed all applicable regulatory requirements.
Our company name is B Positive Plasma because our donors are being positive by donating life-saving plasma, but we collect plasma from donors of all blood types!
Some of our centers may run specialty programs for donors with certain blood types (e.g., male donors with AB blood type) or other special properties in their plasma. If you qualify for one of these programs, you will be notified about any enhanced bonuses and incentives available to you if participate in these specialty programs
Our main goal is to ensure the safety of our donors and the blood products that they donate. Prospective donors are required to visit our center to speak with a member of our medical staff to assess their eligibility. During the screening process, we will evaluate your medical history and any medications that you are taking to determine your eligibility to donate. Unfortunately, we are unable to assess your overall health status and donor eligibility remotely.
At each donation visit you will be asked if you received any recent vaccinations. Some vaccines introduce antibodies into your system that can cause a positive test result for a disease. For example, the Hepatitis B vaccine can cause a temporary positive test result for Hepatitis B. If you do not inform our staff of a recent vaccine and your donation's test results show you as positive for a disease, then your information must be added to a national plasma donor deferral registry that will permanently defer you from donating plasma anywhere in the United States. There is no way to remove this permanent plasma donation ban, so please communicate all vaccine updates to our team!
B Positive Plasma, a B Positive National Blood Services Company, is a plasma collection company that allows eligible donors to donate their blood plasma for life-saving medical therapies while also getting financially compensated for their time. Donating plasma is safe, convenient, and rewarding!
ALL BLOOD TYPES ARE WELCOME.