<P> Following the "Plasma for Britain" invention, Drew was named director of the Red Cross blood bank and assistant director of the National Research Council, in charge of blood collection for the United States Army and Navy . Drew argued against the armed forces directive that blood / plasma was to be separated by the race of the donor . Drew argued that there was no racial difference in human blood and that the policy would lead to needless deaths as soldiers and sailors were required to wait for "same race" blood . </P> <P> By the end of the war the American Red Cross had provided enough blood for over six million plasma packages . Most of the surplus plasma was returned to the United States for civilian use . Serum albumin replaced dried plasma for combat use during the Korean War . </P> <P> Plasma as a blood product prepared from blood donations is used in blood transfusions, typically as fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or plasma Frozen Within 24 Hours After Phlebotomy (PF24). When donating whole blood or packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions, O - is the most desirable and is considered a "universal donor," since it has neither A nor B antigens and can be safely transfused to most recipients . Type AB+ is the "universal recipient" type for PRBC donations . However, for plasma the situation is somewhat reversed . Blood donation centers will sometimes collect only plasma from AB donors through apheresis, as their plasma does not contain the antibodies that may cross react with recipient antigens . As such, AB is often considered the "universal donor" for plasma . Special programs exist just to cater to the male AB plasma donor, because of concerns about transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) and female donors who may have higher leukocyte antibodies . However, some studies show an increased risk of TRALI despite increased leukocyte antibodies in women who have been pregnant . </P> <P> Following fears of variant Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease (vCJD) being spread through the blood supply, the British government began to import American plasma to meet its needs . In 2002, it purchased Life Resources Incorporated to be able to secure plasma supply from the United States . The company became Plasma Resources UK (PRUK). It owned Bio Products Laboratory . In 2013, the British government sold an 80% stake in PRUK to American hedge fund Bain Capital, in a deal estimated to be worth £ 230 million . The sale was met with criticism in the UK, over both the oversight of the company, and the impact on British blood needs . Confusion arose as some thought that the blood of British blood donors voluntarily donating to NHS Blood and Transplant Services would be sold for profit . Currently, plasma donated in the United Kingdom is still not used due to concerns about vCJD, and is incinerated after component parts have been separated from it . </P>

Where is plasma extracted from the blood supply