Students sell themselves for cash

In Oshkosh there is a place where dozens of people sit in rows, hooked up to machines that drain them of their bodily fluids.

It's all part of a process called plasmapherisis, which separates the yellowish liquid part of the blood, known as plasma, from the red blood cells. Donors at BioLife Plasma Services can donate up to twice a week, making some money at the same time.

"It's a nice way to earn a lot of extra bucks," said Lisa Sullivan, 21, a UW-Oshkosh senior who has been donating for about eight months. "It's kind of relaxing once you get used to it."

Because the body can easily replenish itself of plasma, donating is a fairly healthy procedure, Dr. John Swanson of the Student Health Center said.

"There really is no significant health risk," Swanson said. "(Machines) spin out plasma and give you back the red blood cells. The body rapidly manufactures the things in plasma like the proteins and all that plasma covers."

On a routine visit, donors must answer a series of questions regarding risky behavior that may disqualify them from donating.

Prospective donors should note that if they have recently gotten a tattoo, they must wait 12 months before giving plasma. The same goes for those who have spent more than 72 consecutive hours in jail.

Then, clients are weighed and given a blood test to make sure their protein and iron levels are high enough to donate. After that, the actual donation process begins.

"The first couple times, it took me awhile to get used to it," Sullivan said. "Where I am now, it's just super easy, and to tell you the truth, I barely feel it."

On the initial visit, donors must pass a physical to make sure they are eligible. This includes being checked for illnesses and previous risky behavior. After that, the donation process begins.

Staff members place needles in donors' veins with tubes that are hooked up to an automated machine. After collecting the blood, the machine spins out the plasma in a centrifuge, and red blood cells are pumped back into the donor's body.

This process is repeated several times until enough plasma is collected for a successful donation. The machine uses three minute intervals to collect the plasma, with two additional minutes taken to return the red blood cells.

BioLife pays $20 on the first visit per week and $30 on the second. The money is put on a card that donors can use like an ordinary debit card. The debit system recently replaced the company's old method of giving out cash.

"I think I like it better because then I never see the money," Sullivan said. "If they just gave me cash, I'd probably spend it right away."

Sullivan recently went to Jamaica using some of the money she saved from giving plasma, and plans to use what she has saved this time for spring break.

Swanson said that the process is completely safe. "For most people, there is no risk," he said. "(The equipment) has all been sterilized, so there's no way that you can get HIV or Hepatitis by donating plasma."

However, the doctor also said that having veins poked so often could cause some concern.

"The downside is that kind of like a drug user, after a while the veins can get kind of hard and they can collapse down a little bit," Swanson said. "It might be a little more difficult that if you got sick and needed to have an intravenous line inserted, it would be a little more difficult to get into those veins. That could be one mild hazard."

Another concern is that because BioLife pays for plasma, it may take away prospective blood donors. One must wait eight weeks after donating blood before being able to give plasma. Corey Foster, a sophomore at UW-Oshkosh, has been giving blood for the Red Cross since she was 17. She donates every time there is a blood drive on campus.

"I have thought about donating plasma, but didn't because I had no way to get there and I would not be able to give blood as often," she said. "The fact of getting paid (for plasma) has tempted me, but I feel like I am doing more good by donating blood."

Swanson said that it's a choice students have to make between the two. "On the one hand, for students who need money, it's a nice way of making money," he said. "But on the other hand, donating blood is one of those moral things that we probably need to do."

BioLife warns that donors who do not eat healthily or drink enough fluids before donating run a higher risk of getting sick afterward. However, Swanson said that he hasn't seen that correlation with students coming in to the Health Center.

"There are a lot of things that happen to us that just happen to be coincidental," he said. "Nobody knows if those two things are necessarily related."

According to BioLife, collected plasma goes to help those suffering from hemophilia and other diseases that don't allow the body to easily replenish plasma. It's also used to treat burn and shock victims.

Sullivan said it's also good to know that she is helping people in the process.

"It's nice to help some people who really need it," she said. "I also study while I donate, so I might as well help some people and make some money while I study."