Italy’s plasma donation gap prompts calls for nationwide awareness campaign

A survey by the Istituto Piepoli, commissioned by Takeda Italia, found that 70% of Italians would be ready to donate plasma within the next year if they received more information, climbing to 83% among existing donors. Yet only two out of ten respondents actually know what plasma is, and many are unaware that it cannot be produced artificially and that Italy heavily relies on imports for plasma-derived medicines.

Livio Gigliuto, president of the Istituto Piepoli, warned that the main obstacle is a lack of public knowledge and called for a large‑scale communication campaign combined with easier, flexible donation sites. Tonino Aceti, president of the patient‑rights group Salutequità, said the country has a moral duty to guarantee a continuous supply of life‑saving plasma‑derived therapies and urged that plasma donation become a central element of health policy.

Regional figures support the potential for improvement. The Mirandola area in the province of Modena recorded 10,220 total donations in 2025, with plasma apheresis accounting for almost 48% of collections, and 3,391 donations in the first four months of 2026—well above the provincial average. Local officials highlighted the community’s generosity and the importance of sustaining such contributions.

Experts argue that better information, streamlined access to collection centers, and systematic outreach could close the gap, ensuring a reliable domestic supply of plasma for treatments of rare and serious diseases.