Hey y'all! I just want to quickly share my experience in case it's helpful for anyone looking for this information. I tried going to Biolife and CSL Plasma donation centers (in the US), but I was permanently deferred (aka, not allowed to donate until/unless their rules change) on account of my hEDS diagnosis. Biolife didn't give much info, but the staff member at CSL told me that any type of EDS is an automatic permanent deferral per the company's policy. The reason they gave is that EDS is sometimes linked with differences in the heart or blood vessels that might pose a risk for the donor.
I wondered if this would be an issue, but I didn't find information on the topic online at that time, so I thought I'd share it for anyone else who's curious.
To give my own, albeit limited perspective: I'm not a doctor, but based on what I know about my own body, I suspect that this policy paints with an unnecessarily broad brush. If it's true that some people with EDS aren't good candidates for plasma donation based on the reasons they gave, it doesn't seem to me that it's a problem for others of us. I've had relevant tests done by my cardiologist before, and they found nothing to be concerned about for any future medical procedures. If my understanding is correct, then donating plasma should be just as safe for me as for anyone else. Again, I'm not a doctor, so this opinion really hinges on that "if."
If it is the case that plasma donation is safe for people with EDS if they show no cardiovascular issues, then an automatic deferral shouldn't be necessary. Biolife already requires letters from doctors to confirm that certain folks are safe to donate. Specifically, I was required to provide a letter from my psychiatrist stating that I'm not physically violent on account of my PTSD diagnosis. Included in their list of questions for new donors was asking if you'd ever been diagnosed with PTSD, and I remember wondering why they'd even asked, but I answered honestly anyway. Even if there is a link between PTSD and physical aggression, there are a thousand other reasons people are violent, and I can't say I understand their specific focus on PTSD (I at least don't remember any other questions about mental health or history of violent behavior).
PTSD tangent aside, it seems odd that they would turn someone away on account of any EDS diagnosis when I imagine they could just ask for a note from the person's physician. I'm only speculating, and of course the much more important issue is that these companies are extremely exploitative of donors, staff, and patients who rely on plasma-based medication.
