How media portrayals of plasma donation are shifting

Written by guest contributor Matt Hombach.

Five years ago, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, bright spots were in short supply. But in May 2020, Hollywood legend Tom Hanks was all over the news, holding up a plastic bag filled with a yellowish liquid. It was plasma he had donated. As a person who recovered from COVID-19, Hanks was donating his convalescent plasma to be utilized as a treatment option for people still battling the virus. 

It was a remarkable moment in many ways, but for those who work in and study the media, it was remarkable because it was a very high-profile and very positive portrayal of plasma donation. More often than not, portrayals of blood plasma donation in the media are not overwhelmingly positive.

Most negative portrayals of plasma donation trade off the false narrative of plasma donors facing economic hardships who need to ‘sell their blood’ to make ends meet. In some ways, these portrayals have unfairly stigmatized plasma donation. This has led to restrictive policies surrounding plasma donation in some cases but has also discouraged some people from considering donating.

The fact remains that donors are not paid for their plasma; they are compensated for the time it takes to donate, which can range from 90 minutes to more than two hours. Of course, there are some donors who donate plasma to supplement their income, but there are also donors who do it because they want to help others. They know their donated plasma will be transformed into life-saving therapies for people who need them. Some even donate the money they receive to charity. Patients who rely on plasma-based therapies to stay healthy and stay alive view plasma donors as true heroes regardless of their motivations. 

While Hanks’ plasma was used specifically for COVID-19 therapies and not in the way a typical plasma donation is utilized, it injected the concept of donating plasma into popular culture on a national and international level. It was truly a big moment for plasma donation that still resonates to this day. Some under-informed and negative portrayals of plasma donation crop up from time to time, but the tide seems to be turning towards more balanced and positive portrayals of plasma donation. 

Hanks’ donation was picked up by traditional media on print, TV, and online platforms, but the media landscape continues to shift and splinter. Now, social media, podcasts, and streaming platforms give people who benefit from plasma donation a forum to share directly the transformational impact plasma-based therapies have on their lives. It is leveling the playing field in how plasma donation is viewed in our communities and our society and will hopefully offer more balanced sources of information to draw from when considering plasma donation now and in the future.