Would being paid for your blood or plasma make you more likely to donate?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The ACT has some of the most altruistic donors in Australia. One is Mitchell Blythe, who said "it'd be great" to get paid but he would donate either way.
"It's just a good thing to do," he said. "The food helps!"
Mr Blythe, who works for the federal government, said being allowed to give plasma during work hours has enabled him to donate every two to three weeks.
Plasma is a more intensive donation - it takes him about 50 minutes - but it's also able to be used for more different medical functions than whole blood alone.
Figures from last year show that of 466,800 people in the ACT, 22,716 gave blood - around 4.9 per cent of the population, the highest of any state or territory.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood's ACT group account manager Sally Deveson said when it came to plasma donations, the territory punched above its weight.
"Per capita, the ACT donates twice as much as any other capital city," she said.
"3.8 per cent of the population donate plasma."
The territory gives on average 150 plasma donations out of 250 total daily blood donations.
![Lifeblood's Sally Deveson and plasma donor Mitchell Blythe. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong. Lifeblood's Sally Deveson and plasma donor Mitchell Blythe. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/33pRA5ArzT57tWtt8VHHenS/9ba2b646-3063-480a-b9b1-9d5a8a483b38.jpg/r0_271_5300_3263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
However, despite carrying the torch for national plasma donations, the sheer amount of plasma needed has left Australia with a lagging domestic supply.
"For some of the products you need 15 donors to make one product," Ms Deveson said.
One Canberra patient with Von Willebrand disease needs 4360 plasma donations every year.
Recent reports of just how much plasma Australia imports has given rise to the question: Should we just pay our own donors to try and increase supply?
Incentive to give
The latest annual report from the National Blood Authority shows in 2022-23, Australia imported $399.2 million worth of immunoglobulin - plasma - to make up for what Australians don't produce. This number has tripled since 2018.
On top of immunoglobulin, Australia also imports plasma-derived and synthetic blood products at a cost of $169.3 million.
So why doesn't Australia pay its blood donors?
Georgetown University Professor of Economics Peter Jaworski said Australia did pay plasma donors, it just preferred to pay Americans for their plasma, rather than Australians for theirs.
"I find it very confusing when Australians tell me they have ethical concerns about compensating Australian plasma donors," he said.
"Australia's system is probably the world's best and most effective non-compensated system of plasma collection, and yet it doesn't work and hasn't worked for over a decade."
Australia relies on altruism and the civic feeling, to contribute to the community without getting anything in return.
- Sally Deveson
Lifeblood spokeswoman for NSW and ACT Jemma Falkenmire said not paying donors was not Lifeblood's decision and was instead a legislative requirement.
"Australia is a world leader in plasma collection and has one of the strongest groups of voluntary plasma donors in the world," she said.
"We supply all fresh blood products. One product IVIG [intravenous immunoglobulin] - demand has outstripped supply. It is the role of the National Blood Authority to ensure a safe, secure, adequate and affordable supply of blood and blood products."
According to the World Health Organisation, "An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors."
Ensuring blood safety (the "purity" of blood received) and that non-paid donors aren't alienated are the two primary reasons given for not providing payment.
There are also ethical considerations. Overseas, paid donations tend to attract and thus rely on people from lower socio-economic backgrounds - a potentially at-risk population.
According to Lifeblood, ACT donation levels are high because "areas with higher levels of education in Australia tend to have higher rates of blood donors. More than 40 per cent come from public servants, universities, and research institutions".
Ms Deveson said issues like time pressure and fear of the unknown may stop people from considering plasma donations, but she didn't think payment was the best way to increase numbers.
"Australia relies on altruism and the civic feeling, to contribute to the community without getting anything in return," she said.
"Having that altruistic donation means that we can ensure a safe blood supply for our patients."
"There will be no monetary [compensation]."
Ms Deveson said while new donors were always encouraged, getting established donors to increase their donation frequency, or consider donating plasma in between blood donations, was the best way to secure supply.
"If everyone did one extra, we'd be set."
A new gift system designed to reward regular donors with branded merchandise began on June 1.
"Not everyone is inspired by that," she said. "They all have different reasons and we're fortunate that people do it to come together and make a difference."