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 A plasma collection location inDavenport, Iowa | |
| ASX: CSL | |
| Industry | Plasmapheresis,Biopharmaceutical |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton, Florida |
Key people | Paul McKenzie (CSL CEO) |
Number of employees | 17,000+ |
| Parent | CSL Limited |
| 26°23′55″N80°06′22″W / 26.39861°N 80.10611°W /26.39861; -80.10611 | |
| Website |
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CSL Plasma is aplasmapheresis company which claims to be one of the largest companies of its kind in the world.[1][P 1] It is asubsidiary ofCSL Limited, a biotechnology company based inMelbourne, Australia, but has their own headquarters inBoca Raton, Florida. The company employs around 17,000 staff and has over 300 locations in multiple countries. Collected plasma, encouraged through company-sponsored programs such as "Plasma P.A.L.S.", is used for testing or manufacturing plasma-derived therapies and medicine. The company was a finalist in the 2021 and 2022South Florida Business Journal "Business of the Year Awards". In 2023, the company was made to make settlements in two discrimination lawsuits.
CSL Plasma is asubsidiary of its sister companyCSL Behring, itself a subsidiary ofCSL Limited, a biotechnology company based inMelbourne, Australia.[2][P 2] It is headquartered inBoca Raton, Florida,[1] and operates a total of 320 collection centers in the United States,[P 3] and a further 19 more in other nations includingChina,Hungary, andGermany as of 2023[update].[P 2] It employs around 17,000 employees as medical staff,phlebotomists, plasma processors, operation managers, and receptionists, with each location requiring around 50 staff members to operate.[P 2][P 3]
CSL Plasma advertises itself as being open to the general public with some exceptions, with requirements for donors on their website including the donor must be in good health, be 18 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 lb (50 kg), have nopiercings ortattoos within the last four months, and have a valid government-issued ID, Social Security number, and address.[P 4] It is recommended all donors also avoid alcohol for 24 hours and smoking for 3 hours before donating.[P 4] The company uses the Rika Plasma Donation System to collect plasma from donors in a process that takes around 25 minutes.[P 1] Some locations are equipped to hold up to 48 donation beds, allowing multiple donations to take place at a time in one location.[1]
Collected plasma is then either sent to a CSL Plasma testing laboratory or CSL Behring, where it is used for testing or manufacturing plasma-derived therapies and medicine.[P 1] Specific therapies include those treatinghemophilia,primary immunodeficiency,von Willebrand disease, hereditaryangioedema, hereditaryrespiratory disease, andneurological disorders; as well as inburn,cardiac,major trauma, andorgan transplants surgeries.[1][2] Due to health concerns, a donor's first donation cannot be used until a second donation is given.[P 4] A monetary reward is given as an incentive for first-time donors, which is given on a reloadable prepaid card. Aloyalty program named "iGive Rewards" also exists for returning donors.[P 4] Staff members have been known to donate in their free time.[3][P 2]
CSL Plasma runs a program called "Plasma Patients And Life-Savers" or "Plasma P.A.L.S." (previously called "Adopt-A-Patient" before September 2022) where plasma donors meet regular patients of plasma therapy, who tell their story to raise awareness and encourage donating.[P 5] Certain locations have also hostedEaster egg hunts.[4]
At the beginning of theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the company partnered with humanitarian organizations including theWorld Health Organization,Red Cross,Doctors Without Borders, andUNICEF to provide medication to impacted civilians and refugees.[P 6] The company had previously partnered with the Red Cross to help provide relief after natural disasters including fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes that affected donation areas and staff.[P 7]
CSL Plasma was a finalist in theSouth Florida Business Journal's 2021[3] and 2022 "Business of the Year Awards" in their business category based on revenue.[5]
In January 2020, CSL Plasma was sued after misdiagnosing an Illinois man withHIV after a blood test and notifying theFood and Drug Administration before it was confirmed it was afalse positive.[6] In August 2023, CSL Plasma satisfied an agreement to end two Minnesota court cases from March 2019[7] and November 2019, moving to bar facilities from preventing potential donors from donating based ongender identity.[8] In December 2023, anothersettlement was reached in an Illinois lawsuit that alleged CSL Plasma had violated theAmericans with Disabilities Act andIllinois Human Rights Act after discriminating against disabled potential donors, leading CSL Plasma to adopt new policies for potential donors who are deaf or require a service animal.[9][10] In January 2024, emergency medical support had to be provided to a donor in Maine after certain unspecified equipment was missing from the facility they were at, closing it until a replacement arrived.[11][12]