ASX: CSL | |
Industry | Plasmapheresis, Biopharmaceutical |
Headquarters | Boca Raton, Florida |
Key people | Paul McKenzie (CSL CEO) |
Number of employees | 17,000+ |
Parent | CSL Limited |
26°23′55″N 80°06′22″W / 26.39861°N 80.10611°W | |
Website |
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CSL Plasma is a plasmapheresis company which claims to be one of the largest companies of its kind in the world.[P 1] It is a subsidiary of CSL Limited, a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia, but has their own headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida. The company employs around 17,000 staff, and has over 300 locations in multiple countries. Collected plasma, encouraged through company-sponsored programs such as "Plasma P.A.L.S.", is used for testing or manufacturing plasma-derived therapies and medicine. The company was a finalist in the 2021 and 2022 South Florida Business Journal "Business of the Year Awards". In 2023, the company was made to make settlements in two discrimination lawsuits.
CSL Plasma is a subsidiary of its sister company CSL Behring, itself a subsidiary of CSL Limited, a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, Australia.[P 2] It is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, and operates a total of 320 collection centers in the United States,[P 3] and a further 19 more in other nations including China, Hungary, and Germany as of 2023[update].[P 2] It employs around 17,000 employees as medical staff, phlebotomists, plasma processors, operation managers, and receptionists, with each location requiring around 50 staff members to operate.[P 2][P 3]
CSL Plasma advertises itself as being open to the general public with some exceptions, with requirements for donors on their website including the donor must be in good health, be 18 years of age or older, weigh at least 110 lb (50 kg), have no piercings or tattoos within the last four months, and have a valid government-issued ID, social security, and address.[P 4] It is recommended all donors also avoid alcohol for 24 hours and smoking for 3 hours before donating.[P 4] The company uses the Rika Plasma Donation System to collect plasma from donor in a process that takes around 25 minutes.[P 1] Collected plasma is then either sent to a CSL Plasma testing laboratory or CSL Behring, where it is used for testing or manufacturing plasma-derived therapies and medicine.[P 1] Due to health concerns, a donor's first donation cannot be used until a second donation is given.[P 4] A monetary reward is given as an incentive for first-time donors, which is given on a reloadable prepaid card. A loyalty program named "iGive Rewards" also exists for returning donors.[P 4] Staff members have been known to donate in their free time.[1][P 2]
CSL Plasma runs a program called "Plasma Patients And Life-Savers" or "Plasma P.A.L.S." (previously called "Adopt-A-Patient" before September 2022) where plasma donors meet regular patients of plasma therapy, who tell their story to raise awareness and encourage donating.[P 5] Certain locations have also hosted Easter egg hunts.[2]
At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the company partnered with humanitarian organizations including the World Health Organization, Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and UNICEF to provide medication to impacted civilians and refugees.[P 6] The company had previously partnered with the Red Cross to help provide relief after natural disasters including fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes that affected donation areas and staff.[P 7]
CSL Plasma was a finalist in the South Florida Business Journal's 2021[1] and 2022 "Business of the Year Awards" in their business category based on revenue.[3] In August 2023, CSL Plasma satisfied a Minnesota court agreement to end facilities from preventing potential donors from donating based on gender identity.[4] In December 2023, another settlement was reached in an Illinois lawsuit that alleged CSL Plasma had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and Illinois Human Rights Act after discriminating against potential disabled donors, leading to CSL Plasma adopt new policies for potential donors who are deaf or require a service animal.[5][6] In January 2024, emergency medical support had to be provided to a donor after certain unspecified equipment was missing from the facility they were at, closing it until a replacement arrived.[7][8] In February 2024, a facility in Georgia had to be temporarily closed for investigation after a hoax bomb threat was made to it.[9]