Blood plasma
is the yellowish fluid component of blood. It's drawn in hospitals, community centers and plasma donor centers and then processed in laboratories for use with patients in surgical and clinical settings. In order to establish a blood plasma laboratory, you'll first need register and gain approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You'll need to have qualified registered medical or biotechnology professionals to run the lab. Additionally, an appropriately clean venue with the right equipment is needed to ensure product safety.
Instructions
1. Get proper authorization from state and federal agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set up a blood plasma laboratory. Check out online criteria and fill out registration forms to start the process. Provide requested supporting documentation to streamline processing of your application.
2. Develop an administrative framework to include legal representation, accounting and banking services, payroll issues and medical insurance. Retain a law firm to ensure that all proper measures are taken to open your plasma laboratory. Compare premiums for medical malpractice insurance and get adequate coverage in case of lawsuits against your business or lab employees. Get an IRS tax ID and register your business with the proper authorities within your region, if necessary.
3. Establish office space that includes telephone and Internet services. Get appropriate office equipment including telephones, fax machines and computers. Purchase software that will help you track plasma inventory and print out labels for plasma bags. Get office furniture, office supplies and specialized items such as medical forms.
4. Obtain the lab equipment, benches and workstations needed to process the expected volume of plasma. Acquire quality medical professional equipment, such as centrifuges and automated testing equipment, to monitor quality control of your products. Freshly drawn plasma can last from approximately 26 to 40 days, depending on the type of anticoagulant additive used. Plasma requires proper refrigeration, so obtain adequate freezer space. Consider a backup generator in case of power outage. Get all associated plasma supplies such as sterile needles, plasma bags and protective gear like gloves, masks and disposable garments. Add HEPA filters at air intakes in the ventilation system if the building structure doesn't already provide them.
5. Seek qualified lab technicians who can process plasma or plan to train them on the job. Hire managers with laboratory experience that can run the daily laboratory operations independently. Set up a workplace hierarchy, write job descriptions and make fair and clear company policies so lab personnel know what's expected of them on the job.
