I did want to tack on some additional details in case your readers are interested.

The website ► http://www.idonateplasma.com is now available for people with
any disease diagnosis, no matter what it is, to give them the opportunity to get connected with studies world wide. SeraCare literally works with researchers on every continent and can help connect those with diseases to the programs that support that research. This website is an extension of the blog you mentioned.

As for payment:
$400 up to $2500 every time they participate. It really is a great deal that helps researchers advance their work as well as helps those who are suffering from these diseases to participate in that process, as well as get the financial help they often need.

If any of your readers are interested in having SeraCare get involved in other research studies, they can always email ► donate@seracare.com with their ideas and recommendations, or give feedback at ► https://twitter.com/IDonatePlasma

SeraCare is actually also trying to inform the public about disease outbreaks, new research findings, and other great news using twitter, facebook, blogs, and many other resources.

I hope that you and your readers will continue to engage and participate in the process of learning more and sharing ideas that will benefit researchers and diagnostic test kit manufactures.

Some great places to communicate or ask questions are below:

► http://twitter.com/PhysiciansGuide (for outbreak alerts and disease research findings)
► http://twitter.com/PagadoPlasma (for Spanish Users)
► http://www.idonateplasma.com (to sign up for paid studies)
► https://twitter.com/IDonatePlasma (to see new studies available)
► http://www.myspace.com/seracare (to follow what SeraCare is up to)
► http://www.linkedin.com/pub/i-donate-plasma-for-research/21/b09/726 (to connect with researchers professionally)
► http://www.facebook.com/pages/PAID-Plasma-Donations-for-Research/101071083280661?ref=ts

We have a Lyme disease patient, who is being paid for plasma, by Biolynk. Another Lyme patient almost qualified as a Biolynk plasma donor. It appears that Biolynk is looking for Lyme patients with multiple Ig G bands, in addition to Ig M 23.

The table of diseases they are looking for did not copy well, and you may want to edit this comment, or link to my article, at http://stevensponaugle.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/lab-pays-hundreds-of-dollars-for-plasma-donation-if-you-have-one-of-these-diseases/

Lab Pays Hundreds of Dollars for Plasma Donation, If You Have One of These Diseases

July 5, 2009 at 3:14 am · Filed under Lymes Disease ·Tagged Lymes, Lupus, Epstein Barr, Cytomegalous, Mycoplasma, West Nile Virus, HIV, Mononucleosis · Edit

See http://www.biolynk.com/donor-resources.html for more information

Patients: If you have been diagnosed in the past 2-3 weeks with one of the infectious diseases, or if you have ever been diagnosed with one of the autoimmune diseases, or if you carry one of the rare, polyclonal blood antibodies we look for, please give us a call immediately.

What Is The Plasma Donation Program?

When a test is run on your blood in a laboratory, the FDA requires that a quality control group be run with the test to make sure it is working properly. The FDA also requires that this vital quality control material come from human plasma (this ensures the utmost accuracy for the test kit). The only way to get this needed material is from consenting adult plasma donors.

Biolynk’s Plasma Donation Program educates and recruits patients who have been diagnosed with certain illnesses. Specifically, we look for patients who have been diagnosed with an infectious disease in the past 2-3 weeks (Infectious Disease List), we also look for patients who have ever been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (Autoimmune Disease List), and we look for patients who carry rare, polyclonal blood antibodies (Polyclonal Antibody List)

If you have been diagnosed with any one of the diseases we look for and you meet our specific donor qualifications, you can become a plasma donor for this vital quality control material. You will be compensated each and every time you donate (up to $500 per donation, based on qualification).

Why Participate?

If Biolynk is unable to find patients who are willing to donate their plasma, then certain test kits could eventually go on back order. Therefore, by participating in our Plasma Donation Program you help maintain the availability of laboratory test kits, and you help future patients receive an accurate and prompt test result.

How to participate?

If you qualify to participate, you will be scheduled to visit an FDA licensed plasma collection facility. The facilities used for these donations meet the highest FDA standards, and all materials utilized in the plasma collection process are completely sterile and disposed of after each donation.

Your plasma will be collected via a process called plasmapheresis. This procedure is similar to donating whole blood (i.e. Red Cross). In the plasmapheresis process your plasma is collected alone returning your red blood cells back to you. This process typically leaves you without the blood donation side effects of being dizzy or weak. Your body will regenerate plasma collected by the donor centers within 24 hours. The FDA allows a patient to donate up to twice in a seven day period of time.

INFECTIOUS DISEASE LIST

Test results may vary depending on type of test used.
Call if unsure for further verification.

Antibody Test result/Titer Minimum Acute = Patient must donate during or immediately following the acute phase of illness

A Beta 2 Glycoprotein (IgA/ IgG) >100
Acetylcholine Call us for qualification
Adenovirus Call us for qualification
Arbovirus (Encephalitis) 3X cut off
Bordatella pertussis Call us for qualification Acute
Brucella Call us for qualification
Chagas (Trypanosoma Cruzi) (IgG/IgM) Positive
Chlamydia (Pneumonia/ Trachomatis) (IgM only) >1:64/ >1.50 Acute
Coccidiodes 1.5 x postive cut off
Cytomegalovirus IgM High Positive Acute
Denque Fever IgM High Positive
Epstein Barr Virus – Early Antigen 3X cut off Acute
Epstein Barr Virus VCA – IgM > 4.0 (or >3X cut off) Acute
Fungals (Aspergillus, Blastomyces, Cryptococcus) > high control
Hepatitis A IgM Positive or Reactive Acute
Hepatitis B Core IgM Positive or Reactive Acute
Hepatitis B Core- total Positive or Reactive
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Positive or Reactive
Herpes Simplex Virus – IgM > 4.0 (or >3X cut off) Acute
Histoplasma 2 x pos cut off (>2.5)
HIV (Type 2 and O only) Positive or Reactive
Leptospira 3X cut off
Lyme Disease IgM Positive or Reactive Acute
Measles -IgM Positive Acute
Mononucleosis High Positive Acute
Mumps Positive Acute
Mycoplasma- (IgM/ IgG) 3X High Pos cut-off OR >3000
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever > 2x cut off Acute
Rubella IgM Positive Acute
SARS Positive
TOXO- (IgM / IgG) > 4.0 (or >3X cut off)
Varicella Zoster (Chicken Pox) IgM Positive Acute
West Nile Virus IgM Positive Acute