In her captivating new book, “Blood Money: The Story of Life, Death, and Profit Inside America’s Blood Industry,” Kathleen McLaughlin takes us on a thrilling journey that begins in China. Set in 2004, we are introduced to the author, a journalist hailing from Butte, who finds herself embroiled in a plot that could easily be taken from a political thriller. Desperate to obtain medicine derived from human blood to treat her autoimmune disease, McLaughlin resorts to smuggling vials discreetly concealed within her suitcase and transporting them from the United States into China, where such plasma products are banned. This personal account becomes the gateway into a meticulously researched exposé on the past and present realities of the human blood trade, wherein individuals sell their plasma in exchange for monetary compensation.
The book, which was published on February 28 by One Signal Publishers, initially focuses on China, a country with a well-documented history of government repression and exploitation tied to blood profiteering. However, as the story progresses, “Blood Money” also delves into the United States, where the ethical implications of plasma centers fueled by financially struggling Americans appear much less straightforward.
After the HIV contamination crisis in the 1980s, the plasma industry in the U.S. has implemented extensive safety measures and advanced technologies. Donors can now earn a modest sum, usually between $70 to $80 per donation, while the collected plasma is used to produce essential medications, including the one required by McLaughlin. Considering these factors, one might wonder, what could possibly be the downside?
In my opinion, this story primarily delves into the intricacies of our culture and socioeconomics, highlighting our tendency to leave individuals to their own devices without much contemplation.
author Kathleen McLaughlin
McLaughlin delves into this inquiry by conducting interviews in a small college town in Idaho, in Flint, Michigan, and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Interwoven throughout the book are McLaughlin’s personal stories, conversations with whistleblowers, and accounts of blood fixation, ranging from the famous Hungarian Countess Bathory, who was reputed to have immersed herself in blood, to Silicon Valley tech companies striving to defy the effects of aging. McLaughlin also reflects on her own identity as a vampire-like individual who relies on blood to survive, while grappling with the uncomfortable reality of benefiting from deep-rooted economic inequalities.
Originally intending to write a straightforward science book, she soon realized during her research that the plasma industry revealed a larger societal issue. In her book “Blood Money,” McLaughlin illustrates an America where individuals from working-class and even middle-class backgrounds resort to selling parts of their bodies to stay financially stable, whether it be to cover increasing rent costs, purchase textbooks, or fund family trips. The act of selling plasma is often accompanied by a negative perception. Ultimately, “Blood Money” not only delves into the workings of this industry but also explores the values that underpin it.
According to McLaughlin, when speaking to Montana Free Press, he initially anticipated delving into the scientific aspects of plasma donation. However, after conducting a few interviews with individuals involved in selling plasma, it became evident that the scientific aspect was merely a secondary element. McLaughlin believes that the true narrative revolves around our culture, socioeconomics, and the manner in which we have allowed individuals to fend for themselves without substantial consideration.
McLaughlin has gained recognition for her comprehensive coverage of science and socioeconomics, which has been featured in prominent media outlets such as the Economist, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and Buzzfeed. For over 15 years, starting from the early 2000s, she worked as a journalist in China, covering a wide range of topics including China’s firework factories and the prevalence of counterfeit medicine in the country. Her work often sheds light on deep-rooted inequalities and government corruption, influenced by her upbringing in Butte, a city known for labor disputes and corporate wrongdoing during the 1980s, following the decline of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.
She recalled her childhood, where people were furious at the company for abandoning the town and leaving behind all the problems. As I was growing up, I learned to distrust corporations. That’s the lesson I drew from it all, that corporations prioritize their own interests over ours.
According to McLaughlin, there are millions of Americans who sell their plasma, making the U.S. responsible for approximately 70% of the global plasma supply. However, it is worth noting that the majority of companies profiting from this plasma are not American-based. While some countries prohibit the sale of plasma, they still reap the benefits of the products derived from it. McLaughlin discovered that the Red Cross restricts plasma donations to a maximum of 13 times per year, whereas private plasma centers permit individuals to sell it twice every week.
She suggests that the Red Cross appears to prioritize the protection of people’s health. She also believes that this situation highlights the lessons learned from Butte, where the most vulnerable individuals in society often receive insufficient attention. In her opinion, the industry has thrived because those in power have not been attentive to it, as it does not directly impact or affect their lives.
After her return from China in 2020, McLaughlin has been covering the impact of the housing crisis in the United States, with a particular focus on the gentrification occurring in the Mountain West region. In her article titled “Blood Money,” she discovers a correlation between towns with significant wealth disparities and a higher concentration of plasma centers. Montana currently has only a handful of plasma centers, including a recently established one in Bozeman. The skyrocketing housing prices in Bozeman have drastically altered the living conditions for local workers. McLaughlin anticipates the emergence of additional plasma centers in the area.
She said, “How did that happen? This is completely different from the Montana I knew when I was growing up. I believe we will witness more of such changes.”
McLaughlin’s reporting isn’t characterized by neatly tying things up. She doesn’t have a problem with individuals opting to sell plasma, acknowledging the necessity of it as someone who has benefited from it. However, she believes that the system has been overlooked and not properly regulated.
She stated, “Based on my investigations and conversations with various individuals, we have allowed this system to grow and become deeply embedded in our society without ever pausing to question its implications.”
McLaughlin stated that she is still attempting to comprehend everything, even at this moment.
“After conducting extensive research and observing the operations of a plasma center in Flint, Michigan, I am of the opinion that the industry itself is not the root cause of the problem. I do not believe that the industry is inherently flawed or malevolent. Rather, it operates as any other profit-driven enterprise. The true issue lies in the profound societal inequality that we have allowed to flourish, which forces certain individuals to resort to selling their plasma. In my view, addressing this inequality should be our primary focus.”
“The companies are simply the companies,” she remarked. “Similar to the company here in Butte, they are just that – companies. I don’t mean to sound indifferent, but they all seem quite similar, don’t you think? Growing up in this town, you come to understand that they will only push the boundaries as far as you allow them.”
Kathleen McLaughlin and Newsy national correspondent Maritsa Georgiou will discuss “Blood Money” on March 14 at the Missoula Public Library at 6 p.m. McLaughlin and author Betsy Gaines Quammen will discuss the book on March 23 at Country Bookshelf in Bozeman at 6 p.m.
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