UNITAR
9 June 2026, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) marks the third anniversary of Plasma4Life as the initiative enters a new strategic phase with the launch of the Knowledge Partners Advisory Panel (KPAP). The new advisory body is designed to support the long-term direction and impact of Plasma4Life, which is dedicated to strengthening health systems to meet patients’ needs for plasma and plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs).
Launched in 2023, Plasma4Life was created to respond to a growing global need for stronger knowledge and collaboration across the plasma ecosystem. PDMPs are essential therapies for patients living with a range of rare, chronic, and life-threatening conditions. However, access to these treatments remains uneven across countries and regions, often reflecting broader challenges in health system capacity, regulatory frameworks, plasma collection, manufacturing, financing, and patient identification.
Over the past three years, Plasma4Life has evolved into a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together patient organisations, technical experts, public authorities, academia, professional associations, and private sector stakeholders. Through this collaborative approach, the initiative aims to support evidence-based dialogue, strengthen local and regional capacities, and contribute to more sustainable and patient-centred approaches to plasma and PDMP systems.
The initiative has been strengthened by the engagement of partners representing different parts of the plasma ecosystem, including Takeda, Intas Pharmaceuticals, the International Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI), the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), the GBS|CIDP Foundation International, and the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA). Their diverse perspectives contribute to a broader understanding of health system challenges and opportunities for sustainable collaboration.
One of the key pillars of the initiative has been the development of the Plasma4Life Knowledge Hub, an open-access platform designed to serve as a trusted source of information for policymakers, healthcare professionals, patient advocates, and the wider public. The platform gathers educational resources, expert insights, best practices, policy references, and international perspectives on plasma and PDMPs. Since its launch, the Knowledge Hub has grown steadily, reaching approximately 11,000 users from across more than 100 countries, demonstrating increasing global interest in accessible and evidence-based information in this field.
Plasma4Life has also supported country-level and regional engagement through expert working groups and educational activities, mainly in Malaysia and Argentina. Expansion to India is currently in preparation.
Educational activities have played a central role in Plasma4Life’s work. Since its establishment, the initiative has convened expert-led webinars, policy dialogues, and high-level events addressing topics such as plasma fractionation, therapy selection, donor health, patient safety, and strategies for strengthening plasma systems. These activities have engaged diverse audiences, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, blood centre representatives, clinicians, patient organisations, and regional stakeholders.
The establishment of the Knowledge Partners Advisory Panel (KPAP) marks an important step in the institutional development of Plasma4Life. As the initiative expands geographically and thematically, UNITAR is formalising a more structured mechanism for strategic consultation and partner engagement. The Panel will provide strategic advice on the overall direction, priorities, activities, and future development of Plasma4Life. It will also support quality assurance and relevance of training programmes, webinars, knowledge products, and stakeholder engagement.
The KPAP reflects UNITAR’s commitment to transparent, inclusive, and evidence-informed collaboration. It is intended to create a space for forward-looking dialogue, allowing partners to provide strategic input, identify emerging priorities, and help ensure that Plasma4Life remains responsive to evolving global needs. The Panel will also complement the planned Scientific Advisory Committee, which will provide more specialised technical and scientific guidance on key areas such as donor health, plasma collection, patient safety, ethics, economics, and data systems.
Plasma4Life has grown from an ambitious idea into a global platform for knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, the creation of the Knowledge Partners Advisory Panel reflects the maturity of the initiative and our commitment to ensuring that its future direction is shaped by diverse expertise and shared public health objectives,” said Ebru Canan-Sokullu, Acting Head of UNITAR's Health and Development Programme.
At IPOPI, we believe that true equity in healthcare can only be achieved when patients, policymakers and scientific experts unite around a shared purpose. Over the past three years, Plasma4Life has proven to be an invaluable platform for fostering this exact type of multi-stakeholder collaboration. As a member of the newly established Knowledge Partners Advisory Panel, IPOPI looks forward to actively contributing to the next phase of this initiative to ensure local policies and capacities can be strengthened to secure a more stable plasma supply for immunodeficiency patients worldwide,” said Johan Prévot, Executive Director of IPOPI.
Looking ahead, Plasma4Life will continue to strengthen its educational offer, expand its knowledge resources, and explore new models for regional and country-level engagement. Planned priorities include the further development of the Knowledge Hub, continued work with country and regional partners, and the launch of new educational activities. UNITAR also aims to leverage its CIFAL Global Network to bring Plasma4Life learning activities closer to local and regional stakeholders.
As Plasma4Life celebrates its third anniversary, UNITAR recognises the commitment of all partners who have contributed to the initiative’s development. Their engagement has been essential in building a trusted platform for dialogue and learning in a complex and highly specialised field.
Through Plasma4Life and the newly established Knowledge Partners Advisory Panel, UNITAR will continue to support evidence-based, inclusive, and patient-centred approaches to strengthening health systems and improving access to plasma-derived medicinal products for all patients in need.