Social Phenomena Emerge from the Collective Behaviours of Individual Decision-Makers

Abstract

The last two decades have seen a considerable increase in the pharmaceutical industry’s demand for plasma on a global scale for the production of plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs). It is impossible to meet the demand for fractionation plasma from unpaid voluntary donations on a global scale at the present state of manufacturing and biomedical techniques. Nevertheless, we argue that self-sufficiency in strategic plasma resources, properly construed, can be achieved through unpaid plasma donations to appropriately designed national blood donation organizations. We proceed in three short steps: (i) by first recalling why and in what sense plasma and PDMPs should be considered strategic commodities; (ii) by secondly explaining why self-sufficiency in strategic plasma products matters and in what practical sense it can be achieved; and (iii) by outlining the main characteristics that a national blood organization must meet to achieve self-sufficiency through unpaid voluntary donations.