Fargo, N.D. (KFGO/KVRR) - BioLife Plasma centers in Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo and Grand Forks are temporarily closed after the company announces there is a problem with one of their products.
A company spokesperson says there is an unexpected issue with the manufacturer of their anticoagulant for their centers nationwide.
The spokesperson did not say exactly what the issue was with the product but says they hope to have all of the centers up and running by Monday, June 5th but some could be opened as earlier at Thursday.
Anticoagulant is used to keep the donor’s blood from clotting in the machine during the donation process.
Here is the full statement released to the media:
BioLife centers across the United States are temporarily closed due to an unexpected issue with the manufacturer of anticoagulant (a required product for plasma collection). Anticoagulants are used to prevent blood clotting in the plasmapheresis devices used in the plasma donation process. We are diligently partnering with our vendors to secure anticoagulant and resume normal operations, which we anticipate happening by June 5, 2017. Some centers, including those in West Fargo and Moorhead, are expected to open earlier—likely by Thursday of this week. We do not expect this issue to impact the production and delivery of our therapies to patients. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause our donors. As a global leader in treatments for rare diseases, including immune deficiencies, Shire is committed to providing a high-quality, safe and consistent supply of plasma-derived therapies. Plasma-derived treatments are unique among pharmaceuticals as it is not a substance that can be produced in a laboratory or manufacturing environment. The production of high-quality, plasma-derived treatments depend on the willingness of a large number of healthy individuals to donate plasma.