Blood Business

Plasma, a component of blood that is highly sought-after, now costs more per liter than petrol. Used by pharmaceutical companies to create expensive medications, this precious liquid has become a lucrative commodity. This film investigates one of the largest corporations in this flourishing market, with profits soaring over €1 billion (US$1.13 billion). Their donation centers are mostly found in poor neighborhoods in the US, and they pay donors for their blood – a practice forbidden in Europe. For impoverished Americans, blood donations have become a source of income, presenting a real risk to their health, as they lie about their conditions and donate repeatedly to make ends meet. Other donors give blood in the hope of helping others, but the reality of where their donations actually go can be somewhat different. We investigate the global trade in blood and plasma donations.

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