Do you need to earn some extra cash fast? If you do, a new plasma donation center, Community Bio-Resources, opened in Ames this week.

Donors are paid a $20 fee for the compensation of their time, not for their plasma, and are allowed to donate twice per week, said Sandy Walter, manager of Community Bio-Resources.

Community Bio-Resources, 1618 Golden Aspen Drive, produces injectable pharmaceutical products for the treatment of hemophilia, shock and burns and hepatitis.

The company is based in Cedar Rapids and distributes its products to hospitals and medical centers around the world.

Walter said there are 12 Community Bio-Resources centers across the United States, with most being located in the Midwest.

The company also has plans to be build three more centers within the next year.

Walter, who transferred to Ames from Wisconsin, is certified in all fields the center practices and has been with the company for more than two years.

Other centers located in cities the size of Ames get about 1,200 donors per week, Walter said.

“We are hoping to attract college and community people to have a good donor base,” Walter said.

The process of donation usually takes about 35 minutes to one hour, she said, depending on how much plasma the person can give.

The amount of plasma a person is allowed to give in one sitting is regulated by the Federal Drug Administration and depends on the person’s weight, she said.

Donors must undergo a pre-donation physical and must be between the ages of 18 and 60 and in good health, Walter said.

Donors are tested each time they give plasma for HIV and hepatitis. An ALT liver test also is performed. A physical is performed every four months by a registered nurse that tests for syphilis, drugs and serum protein electrophoresis.

A blood sample is taken from the finger of the donor to determine the percentage of red blood cells, she said.

If the red blood cells are within normal range, the donor is asked to answer questions about his or her past medical history, Walter said.

Temperature, pulse and blood pressure of the donor are then taken.

After that, the chart is reviewed by the phlebotomist, the person who takes the blood.

Donating plasma is similar to donating blood; however, in plasma donation, the red blood cells are separated from the plasma and then pumped back into the donor’s bloodstream.

Walter said the process does not hurt any more than giving blood, and the donor suffers no side effects from giving plasma, since the red blood cells are returned to the body.

“Your body replaces the plasma we take within 24 hours,” she said.

At the end of the cycle, she said, a saline solution is pumped through the same needle to replenish the fluids that were taken.

Walter advised donors to eat a well-balanced meal prior to donating plasma, drink at least two large glasses of water and avoid caffeine the day of donation.

Community Bio-Resources has not had any problems with the plasma it distributes, since plasma isn’t released until it goes through all the tests, she said.

In addition to the numerous tests, the center also uses new needles for each plasma donation. Walter said disposable tubing is used to prevent the spread of infections.

Individuals interested in donating plasma should call Community Bio-Resources at 233-2556. The center is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m.

The center only accepts walk-ins if time permits, Walter said.