If you walk onto the UMCG site from the Oostersingel, you will see Sanquin at entrance 47. Sanquin is the national organization responsible for the blood supply in the Netherlands. They ensure that there is enough blood and blood products available for hospitals and other healthcare institutions. Since 2005, Sanquin has been located on the Healthy Ageing Campus in Groningen. Campus Groningen once visited this player on campus, which is the only organization in the Netherlands tasked by the ministry with ensuring the blood supply.
More demand for plasma donors
With over 400,000 active blood donors in the Netherlands, 2 out of 100 residents currently donate blood voluntarily. This helps about 100,000 patients annually. “That is of course fantastic,” says Karin Zuidema, location manager at Sanquin. “And currently the biggest challenge for Sanquin is recruiting enough plasma donors.” The demand for blood plasma increases by about 3% annually, while the demand for blood cells decreases. "We therefore ask some of our blood donors if they want to donate plasma. This takes a little more time, but it is essential for helping patients." Plasma consists of fluid and proteins and can be administered to patients with burns. The proteins can also serve as raw material for medicines.
“And currently the biggest challenge for Sanquin is recruiting enough plasma donors.” The demand for blood plasma increases by about 3% annually, while the demand for blood cells decreases. "We therefore ask some of our blood donors if they want to donate plasma. This takes a little more time, but it is essential for helping patients."
A careful process
How does that work? The process of blood and plasma donation at Sanquin is careful and efficient. Donors undergo an examination to determine whether it is safe (both for themselves and the recipient) to donate. In plasma donation, the plasma is separated from the blood cells. The donor then receives the blood cells back through the same needle. This causes less fatigue and the donated proteins and fluid are quickly replenished by the body. Therefore, donating plasma can be done more frequently than donating blood. All collected blood is sent to Nijmegen for processing. The blood products obtained there are then returned to Groningen for distribution to hospitals in Groningen and Drenthe.
The road to self-sufficient production
Thanks to Sanquin and Dutch donors, the Netherlands is self-sufficient in terms of blood transfusion products. But this does not apply to plasma as a basis for plasma medicines. In this area, the Netherlands still partly depends on imports of plasma medicines from international manufacturers. Looking to the future, Sanquin aims to make the Netherlands more self-sufficient in meeting the demand for plasma medicines.
On the Healthy Ageing Campus, Sanquin contributes to the mission of promoting healthy aging through regular health checks of donors, innovative products such as the development of eye drops from donor blood and scientific research in the field of anemia, blood clotting, immunotherapy and immunity & inflammation. Sanquin is also a founder of the Health Innovation District in Amsterdam, where companies within the biomedical sector are brought together to further innovate healthcare together.
The proximity of UMCG offers Sanquin significant advantages, including direct access to advanced medical facilities and close collaboration with leading researchers and specialists. This allows them to collaborate more quickly and efficiently on new medical insights and technologies, benefiting the quality of services and research on both sides.
Source article: Campus Groningen
Pictures: own images Sanquin
