The Alpha-1 Europe Alliance (A1EA) has published its position paper Plasma collection in Europe: a priority for the Alpha-1 Europe Alliance. It sets out how Europe can build a plasma supply that is resilient, ethical and less dependent on plasma collected outside its borders. It is the first position paper published under the Alliance’s Call to Action – Roadmap 2030, where securing Europe’s plasma supply is one of six priorities for improving the lives of people living with Alpha-1 across Europe.
Its release coincides with International Plasma Awareness Week (5-9 October, 2026), which highlights the role of plasma donors and the patients who rely on plasma-derived medicines.
Why plasma matters to the Alpha-1 community
Some people living with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) develop lung disease. For them, augmentation therapy has been the only treatment specifically developed for their condition for more than three decades. It is made from human plasma and provides the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin needed for weekly intravenous infusions. The therapy helps protect the lungs from further damage and slows down the progression of emphysema, a condition in which the small air sacs in the lungs are gradually damaged, making breathing more difficult. Because the lung damage caused by AATD cannot be reversed, uninterrupted access to treatment is essential for patients who rely on it.
Yet Europe does not collect enough plasma to meet its own needs. According to the Marketing Research Bureau (MRB), around 40% of the plasma used to manufacture plasma derived medicines in the EU in 2021 came from the United States. This dependence leaves European patients exposed to changes in policy, trade and market conditions beyond Europe’s control.
"The only treatment specifically developed for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency depends entirely on donated plasma, so a secure supply means continued access to care for the patients who rely on it. Plasma self-sufficiency is a strategic priority for Europe, and the SoHO Regulation gives Member States the framework to act. What we need now is national action: every country should be strengthening its collection capacity, protecting donors and contributing to a resilient European supply."
A European goal, built country by country
At EU level, the Regulation on Substances of Human Origin (SoHO) provides a renewed framework. It requires Member States to consider “all reasonable efforts for achieving a sufficient, adequate and resilient supply” of critical substances of human origin, and to contribute to European self-sufficiency. Its main provisions will apply from 7 August 2027. That gives national governments a clear window to put the necessary legislation, collection systems and oversight in place.
The Alliance’s central message is that European self-sufficiency cannot be built in Brussels. The paper calls on every country to shape its national system so that it contributes to the European objective, above all by increasing its own plasma collection capacity.
What the Alliance is calling for
The paper sets out a balanced approach that increases the amount of plasma available without compromising donor safety or ethical standards. Its key recommendations are:
- Expand and modernise collection capacity. Public collection services should be reorganised and properly resourced, with responsible private operators contributing under robust regulatory oversight. The paper points to Germany, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, where mixed systems have supported donor participation and broader geographical coverage, including in rural areas.
- Protect donors. The paper calls for national donor registries, evidence-based limits on donation frequency, and regular monitoring of immunoglobulin levels.
- Support responsible donor participation. Reasonable compensation for donors’ time and inconvenience, with safeguards against exploitation, alongside public awareness campaigns.
- Protect whole blood donation. Plasma collection should not crowd out blood donation systems.
- Ensure ethical coherence. Countries that choose not to allow compensated donation should collect enough plasma at home through a system they consider ethically acceptable. They should not rely on plasma collected abroad under practices they reject domestically.
The paper also stresses that collection is only the first link in the chain. The plasma collected must be made into the medicines patients depend on, including Alpha-1 Antitrypsin products, and those medicines must reach patients reliably and sustainably.
From publication to action
The position paper is designed as a tool for national dialogue. A1EA invites its member organisations, policymakers and partners to use it as a basis for discussing how each country can contribute to a more resilient European plasma supply. A communication toolkit, with key messages and social media assets, is available to help take the message to national decision-makers.
This publication is the first step in a wider effort. In November, A1EA will take the conversation further with a social media campaign and a webinar, to be held on 26 November, bringing together patient and patient representatives, clinical experts and policymakers. Details will follow on our website, in our newsletter and on our social channels.
