Freedom Plasma expands with new donation center in Zanesville, Ohio to meet global plasma demand

In a strategic expansion to meet the increasing global demand for blood-plasma, Freedom Plasma has inaugurated its newest donation center located at 1743 Maysville Avenue in Zanesville, Ohio. This new facility marks the 71st center in the United States under Freedom Plasma, a subsidiary of ImmunoTek Bio Centers, which currently operates across 13 states.

The Zanesville center, operational from Tuesday to Saturday, is fully designed, constructed, and managed by the organization, complementing its existing centers in Mansfield, Toledo, and Cleveland. Since its inception in 2013, Freedom Plasma has facilitated over six million blood-plasma donations, which are crucial for manufacturing plasma protein therapies. These therapies are essential for treating patients with immune disorders, rare diseases, burn injuries, cancer, and other medical conditions.

Blair McKinney, Chief Operating Officer of ImmunoTek Bio Centers, highlighted the economic impact of the new center, stating, “We anticipate a fully operational center to generate $5 million for the local community yearly. Not only do our centers add new jobs to the community, but they also provide a source of compensation for donors and generate spending in local businesses.”

Plasma, the yellowish liquid component of blood, contains unique biological substances that cannot be synthesized artificially. The United States contributes approximately two-thirds of the plasma used globally and is one of the few countries that compensates donors for their time, encouraging regular donations. The process, known as plasmapheresis, is safe and sterile, involving the separation of plasma from the blood, with the remaining components returned to the donor. Individuals can donate plasma up to twice a week.

Mandy Priest, the Center Director at the new Freedom Plasma facility in Zanesville, emphasized the impact of each donation: “Every donor makes a difference. Their plasma helps create medicines providing a good quality of life to others. A small investment of the donor’s time makes a huge difference for someone who needs plasma-based medicines to survive.”

This latest development not only bolsters Freedom Plasma’s commitment to enhancing global health through plasma-derived medicines but also reinforces the role of plasma donation centers as vital contributors to local economies and global healthcare.