A geographical analysis of US plasma centers and their economic, social, and public health impacts
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Matthew D. Balentine (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Corey Johnson
Abstract: It was reported that the plasma pharmaceuticals industry exceeded 20$ billion in market value in 2016, with U.S. donors accounting for roughly 70% of the world’s collected plasma. Since being subjected to market forces blood collection and exchange have raised ethical questions about the encroachment of economic logic into previously excluded spheres. There has long been speculation that for-profit plasmapheresis centers are disproportionately located in marginalized areas, raising a need for inquiries into the ethics of spatial and commodifying processes. Despite concerns, empirical analysis on plasmapheresis clinic location has been anecdotal, dated, or emphasizing a public health perspective while mainly ignoring questions of exploitation. This paper explores the spatio-temporal development of the plasma industry across scales and perspectives, and compares empirical results to socially constructed representations of the industry.
A geographical analysis of US plasma centers and their economic, social, and public health impacts
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Created on 8/1/2020
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2020
- Keywords
- Plasma, Exploitation, Public health, Social geography, Geography and ethics
- Subjects
- Blood banks $x Moral and ethical aspects
- Plasmapheresis
- Human geography
- Economic geography