The first NHS patients in a generation have started to receive life saving plasma from the blood of UK donors.
- Treatments will help save 17,000 NHS patients' lives every year
- Move will deliver government's Plan for Change by building domestic medical supply chains, reducing reliance on imports and with savings between £5 million to £10 million a year
The first NHS patients in a generation have started to receive life-saving plasma from the blood of UK donors, thanks to a partnership between NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England.
Since a longstanding ban on UK plasma was lifted in 2021, the UK has been building its own supply of plasma medicines amid a global shortage. This will reduce reliance on imports, saving the NHS between £5 million to £10 million per year and strengthening the UK as a powerhouse for life sciences under the government's Plan for Change.
Around 17,000 NHS patients with immune deficiencies and rare diseases rely on vital human-donated plasma to save or improve their lives. It is also used in emergency medicine for childbirth and trauma care.
Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said:
This is a significant milestone for the NHS as we take a step toward UK self-sufficiency in these vital medicines.
As part of our Plan for Change, we are improving access to life-saving treatments for thousands of NHS patients and strengthening healthcare security.
By sourcing our own medicine, we are building a more resilient and domestic medical supply chain and boosting economic growth.
Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director NHS England, said:
This landmark moment ensures patients relying on crucial plasma-derived medicines will always have access to the treatment they need.
Thanks to NHS efforts, new plasma-derived products, owned from start to finish by the UK, will reduce our reliance on imported stock and boost the fortitude of hospital supplies.
Thousands of people with serious and potentially life-threatening conditions, including immunodeficiencies and neurological conditions rely on these products, and strengthening the supply chain of plasma-derived treatments through UK donations will help NHS clinicians ensure these vital medicines are available for all who need them.
Jill Jones made history by becoming the first patient to be given UK-sourced plasma at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. She has received treatments every three weeks following a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 20 years ago, and described the infusions as "life-changing".
The initiative will also build UK capacity in the global plasma medicines industry, which was valued at over $30 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $45 billion by 2027. It will help establish the NHS as an engine of economic growth to drive investment in public services and raise living standards for everyone.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has collected 250,000 litres of plasma from donors in England since 2021. From this, two vital medicines are being produced: immunoglobulins, which treat autoimmune conditions, and albumin, which is essential for surgery and treating liver conditions.
The NHS plans to reach 25% self-sufficiency in immunoglobulin by the end of 2025, rising to 30-35% in 2031, and 80% self-sufficiency in albumin by next year.
Global medical supply issues worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2024, a national patient safety alert was issued due to critically low blood stocks, demonstrating the importance of building self-sufficiency in the UK.
Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant said:
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, NHS patients are now receiving life-saving medicines made from UK plasma for the first time in a generation.
Plasma makes up 55 per cent of our blood and contains antibodies which strengthen or stabilise the immune system. It is used to save lives during childbirth and trauma and is used to treat thousands of patients with life limiting illnesses such as immune deficiencies.
These lifesaving medicines can only be made from our blood. We need more donors to help save more lives. Please go to blood.co.uk to become a donor.
Jill Jones from Oxford, the first patient to receive UK-sourced plasma medicine, said:
Coming to the Immunology ward is like catching up with friends. The staff are delightful and you get to know staff and patients really well. You have a cup of coffee and chat. Today I was talking about knitting and kittens as I was being transfused!
Infusions have been life-changing for me in keeping me well. Before I started on them, I was regularly in hospital with infections - which just doesn't happen now. It's made a huge and positive difference to my life and my family's life.
I felt really privileged today to be the first patient in the UK to be receiving Immunoglobin that was made from UK plasma for the first time in a very long time.
Previously, the NHS relied solely on imported plasma medicines due to a long-standing ban on using UK plasma.
The ban was introduced in 1998 as a precautionary measure against Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), linked to mad cow disease.
In 2021 following rigorous scientific reviews, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed plasma from UK donors is safe, supported by robust safety measures.
Decades of rigorous research showed no confirmed cases of vCJD transmission through plasma-derived medicines.
Plasma comes from blood donations. The plasma in blood contains antibodies that strengthen or stabilise the immune system. The antibodies are separated out and made into immunoglobin medicines that treat people with life-limiting conditions such as immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, as well as severe burns.
Notes:
Blood donations can be given at one of 27 donor centres across the country.
First UK-sourced plasma medicines will come from English donations, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to follow.
Donors can book an appointment at a dedicated Plasma Donor Centres in Birmingham, Reading or Twickenham. Visit www.blood.co.uk to find out how you can become a donor today.
- Plasma is the liquid component of blood that carries vital proteins, antibodies, and clotting factors. It is essential for creating plasma-derived medicines, which treat life-threatening conditions such as immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, and severe burns. Plasma donation saves thousands of lives each year and is a critical part of modern healthcare.
Two types of medicines are being made - immunoglobulins (used to treat autoimmune conditions and week immune systems) and albumin (used in surgery and to treat burns and liver conditions). This puts the NHS on track to supply 25% of its immunoglobulin needs by the end of 2025, with plans to increase this to 30-35% by 2031 and 80% of albumin by next year.
In 1998, the UK imposed a ban on using domestically collected plasma for fractionation, the process of separating plasma into its components. This followed concerns about a potentially increased risk of plasma recipients acquiring the brain disease variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) due to UK plasma donors being exposed to Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, sometimes referred as Mad Cow Disease) prions from infected cattle.
As a result, the UK relied solely on plasma imports, primarily from the United States which increased dependence on international supply chains for plasma-derived medicines.
Rising demand for plasma globally placed additional pressure on supply.
- In February 2021, the UK government lifted the ban on using UK-donated plasma for fractionation. This decision followed scientific reviews confirming the safety of plasma collection and manufacturing processes.
- Advanced donor screening, pathogen testing, and fractionation techniques now ensure the highest safety standards.
