IPFA, the association for the not-for-profit plasma organisations

The International Plasma and Fractionation Association (IPFA) is an association representing organisations engaged in fractionation of plasma into plasma-derived medicines as well as in the collection or testing of plasma for fractionation purpose. IPFA´s members are from the not-for-profit sector and include organisations with a clear public mission. Members come from all over the world and represent manufacturers (fractionators) who produce the plasma products, blood establishments collecting plasma and institutions who carry out clinical quality testing of plasma.

IPFA drives the interests of its members to maintain a high involvement of the not-for profit sector to enable and support the supply and patient access to plasma-derived products within a public health context, and with a strong link to the collection and supply of safe and high-quality plasma from domestic donations. IPFA encourages and advises its members and other interested parties on ways to establish and increase their collection of plasma for fractionation, with a strong emphasis on the principle of donation without financial gain, of ensuring donor health protection, while at the same time reaching the quality requirements needed for plasma to be used for manufacturing purposes. IPFA represents its members in consultations and interactions with competent authorities, medicines agencies, regulatory agencies, political officials, patient organisations, donor associations, commercial counter parts and other interested stakeholders in the field.

As an international and outreaching objective, IPFA advocates for and encourages the development of a plasma strategy by the public sector in every country. A plasma strategy is an integral part of a country’s public health effort. It is needed to enable robust, safe supply and equitable patient access to life-saving plasma-derived medicines, while ensuring sufficient resources in plasma to produce them. By strengthening the contribution and ability of the public sector to collect plasma within their communities, and by finding suitable ways to organise its fractionation, countries and regions can increase the strategic independence of these vital medicines in a way which is aligned with wider public health policies and strategies. In pursuit of this goal IPFA collaborates with and contributes to the work of regional and international organisations such as WHO, ISBT, EBA and other stakeholders.