Self-sufficiency in blood products: Background and overview

Countries started looking at national self-sufficiency after large-scale importation of human plasma from developing countries was revealed in the early 1970s. Many international organizations have recommended national self-sufficiency. Several examples have shown that a country can be self-sufficient in practical terms by supplementing national blood supply with voluntary plasmapheresis programs. National or regional self-sufficiency should be one of the goals of a national policy.