Unique path to ER

[Sheryl]

or, Finding a Silver Lining in Every Cloud....

I just found out that due to my recently diagnosed illness I have some unique and sought-after antibodies. The companies that manufacture blood testing kits need them as a control/comparison. The guy I called on the phone sounded like he was salivating when I told him what I had.

I can sell my platelets for $150 a shot, up to once a week. I can't quite retire on $600 a month, but it's not chicken feed either.

Of course I have to look into the details and health risks, but I was pretty happy to find a potential financial "upside" to all this!

 

[rmark]

My dad has an uncommon blood type. He used to be on an emergency call list through work if that type was in short supply. Didn't make any money though.

 

[Mwsinron]

Does it hurt giving platelets?

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

cool, you can get paid and you know you'll be helping others. so your new job comes with benefits.

 

[SteveR]

or,  Finding a Silver Lining in Every Cloud....

I just found out that due to my recently diagnosed illness I have some unique and sought-after antibodies.  The companies that manufacture blood testing kits need them as a control/comparison.  The guy I called on the phone sounded like he was salivating when I told him what I had. 

I can sell my platelets for $150 a shot, up to once a week.    I can't quite retire on $600 a month, but it's not chicken feed either.

Of course I have to look into the details and health risks, but I was pretty happy to find a potential financial "upside" to all this!

I used to work in that field...not in the purchasing end but in the quality side of the business. If you have truly unique antibodies you can make some good money. There was one person who sold plasma to the company for over $2000 a bag. He could have gotten more because he was the ONLY source for these in the world and his particular antibodies were very specific for the disease the tests were trying to idendify. Antibodies that are specific for a certain part of a virus or other disease causing entity are more valuable than you can imagine. They cannot be created in other ways and the economic factors for the company are huge.

Anyway, sorry to hear about your health issues. No amount of money can ever repay one for poor health. Take care of yourself.

 

[Sheryl]

Does it hurt giving platelets?

nah - it's just like an IV - they take out your blood, extract the platelets then put the rest back in.

 

[Sheryl]

Anyway, sorry to hear about your health issues.  No amount of money can ever repay one for poor health.  Take care of yourself.

Thanks Steve -  yeah, it sort of sucks.  It all happened so suddenly I have not really adjusted mentally.  I am not really sick at the moment - but I now have a lot of unknown what-if's hanging over my head.    Hard to wrap your head around so much uncertainty.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Thanks Steve - yeah, it sort of sucks. It all happened so suddenly I have not really adjusted mentally. I am not really sick at the moment - but I now have a lot of unknown what-if's hanging over my head.

Health is the great equalizer, not money. I wish you well, whatever the condition may be. Amazing how much strength people can muster in the face of health problems. All the best.

 

[wabmester]

There was one person who sold plasma to the company for over $2000 a bag.  He could have gotten more because he was the ONLY source for these in the world and his particular antibodies were very specific for the disease the tests were trying to idendify.  Antibodies that are specific for a certain part of a virus or other disease causing entity are more valuable than you can imagine.  They cannot be created in other ways and the economic factors for the company are huge. 

Interesting.

How did the drug company find the donor?

How would a donor negotiate such a deal?   Seems like the drug co is basically exploiting the donor.

If the antibodies turn out to be valuable, how long does the donor's gig last?    I assume they try to clone the antibodies if they're valuable.   Can the donor copyright or patent their antibodies?

 

[Mwsinron]

nah - it's just like an IV - they take out your blood, extract the platelets then put the rest back in.

Good well , Im glad you found some kind of silver lining with that.

 

[Arif]

Sorry to hear about your illness. BUT, being opportunist I am, I have to ask. Can you sell that stuff to the highest bidder? Are there other companies that might pay you more money? I'd shop around if I were you. 8)

 

[SteveR]

Interesting.

How did the drug company find the donor?

I believe they were found during a clinical trial for a new drug for the disease. The trials usually require a number of blood tests be conducted and the specificity of the antibodies could have been seen during that time. Otherwise, I have no idea how one would find such a donor.

How would a donor negotiate such a deal?   Seems like the drug co is basically exploiting the donor.

I am sure there was some sort of contract made with the donor. As for negotiating....I doubt most people would have a clue how much they could ask for before they killed the golden goose.

Exploitation of the donor happens all the time. That free pint of blood you give to your local blood bank is sold to someone for varying amouts of money. The rarer the blood type the more it costs the patient receiving it. Plasma donors are slightly better off. I did that in college for a few bucks a week to offset my beer expenses. Plasma centers pay you for your time more than for your plasma. The plasma is sold to other companies that pool it with other donor specimens and a variety of products are extracted from the plasma which are purified and then sold as products. The only source for many of these materials is human blood so there are systems in place to collect this raw material for further processing. It is a business and the products create a profit for the company. There are many other similar donor systems in use but that would consume a lot of board space to go into.

If the antibodies turn out to be valuable, how long does the donor's gig last?    I assume they try to clone the antibodies if they're valuable.   Can the donor copyright or patent their antibodies?

Cannot clone humans so the indivuality of disease specific antibodies created within a human infected with a specific disease creating agent is currently impossible to create in the lab. Antigens and be created using "modified" bacteria but not antibodies...it takes a real animal to do so and while sheep,goats, horses, rabbit and cow are frequently used to make some antibodies others cannot be made this way and still work in a human.
Copywriting is for printed materials or works of art, trademarks, etc. Patents are what you are thinking of. Currently there is not wayto patent human antibodies or other indiviual-unique creations from ones immune system. It is not an invention...it is a natural process and cannot be patented. It would be like trying to patent rain or lightening or a human thought.

 

[wabmester]

Currently there is not wayto patent human antibodies or other indiviual-unique creations from ones immune system.  It is not an invention...it is a natural process and cannot be patented.  It would be like trying to patent rain or lightening or a human thought. 

Right, but if my body is producing some unique macromolecule that somebody wants to exploit, I want royalties. That's what patents and copyrights were intended for -- to protect my unique or novel creations. What difference does it make if my brain produced it or my spleen produced it?

 

[SteveR]

Right, but if my body is producing some unique macromolecule that somebody wants to exploit, I want royalties.   That's what patents and copyrights were intended for -- to protect my unique or novel creations.   What difference does it make if my brain produced it or my spleen produced it?

Sounds like a good idea to me. I don't find the stuff or make it...my prior role involved assuring everyone did their jobs according to Fed. law and to internal company procedures and policies. I am not a lawyer but I sure as heck have read a ton of rules, regulations, laws, guides, requirements, standards, and a ton of other related things over the past 30+ years.

I have observed the manufacture of just about everything made in the drug and medical device industry. Royalties for novel macromolecules created by in individual that cannot be otherwise produced would be a very good test for such laws. It would be a very interesting case to follow and see how the laws actually play out with the concepts. But then I am easily amused sometimes.

 

[youbet]

Right, but if my body is producing some unique macromolecule that somebody wants to exploit, I want royalties.   That's what patents and copyrights were intended for -- to protect my unique or novel creations.   What difference does it make if my brain produced it or my spleen produced it?

So, if next month someone else's spleen starts producing it, you sue them?

What a fate! Not only does the most recent victim of the disease have to accomodate that bad news, he/she also winds up in court being sued by wab for producting "his" unique antibodies.

 

[Arif]

So, if next month someone else's spleen starts producing it, you sue them?

What a fate! Not only does the most recent victim of the disease have to accomodate that bad news, he/she also winds up in court being sued by wab for producting "his" unique antibodies.

Isn't capitalism great.

 

[maddythebeagle]

can sell my platelets for $150 a shot, up to once a week. I can't quite retire on $600 a month, but it's not chicken feed either.

Of course I have to look into the details and health risks, but I was pretty happy to find a potential financial "upside" to all this!

Glad to hear some potential biz op. here. I thought this stuff was just for beer money for college students.....

 

[Sheryl]

Sorry to hear about your illness. BUT, being opportunist I am, I have to ask. Can you sell that stuff to the highest bidder? Are there other companies that might pay you more money? I'd shop around if I were you.  8)

Good point! As far as I know, I have an unlimited supply, and if I run out, then I'll be getting healthier, so that's even better. I found the info via an internet group for people with the same condition - there probably are competitors out there if I take the time to search.

I guess it could be seen as exploitive - if people are desperate for money and being taken advantage of... I see it more as service provided - if my doctors don't see any added health risk, If I perceive the market rate for these antibodies (it is called double stranded DNA if anyone cares) as worth my time and inconvenience, I'll do it. If not, I won't.

 

[Sheryl]

Right, but if my body is producing some unique macromolecule that somebody wants to exploit, I want royalties.   That's what patents and copyrights were intended for -- to protect my unique or novel creations.   What difference does it make if my brain produced it or my spleen produced it?

It would make for a very interesting legal case. I think, WAB, the difference is these antibodies are rare or unusual, but not unique. Other people's immune systems are producing the same thing - that is why the drug co.'s are able to use ours when testing others for them.

 

[Sheryl]

Health is the great equalizer, not money. I wish you well, whatever the condition may be. Amazing how much strength people can muster in the face of health problems. All the best.

Thanks Rich. That is so true.  I don't mind talking about what I have, it's  just too complicated and boring to explain most of the time.  Since your a medical professional I'll test your knowledge with the short version I've crafted:  "recurring transverse myelitis as presenting symptom of antiphospholipid syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosis."   

For most people who ask, I say "I have some nerve damage that makes my legs numb." 

Anyway, enough medical jargon.      How 'bout that stock market?? 

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Thanks Rich. That is so true. I don't mind talking about what I have, it's just too complicated and boring to explain most of the time.

Gotcha. Dropped you a chatty private message so I don't bore everyone else .