Our Mechelen Site donates blood to save lives
At Galapagos, we don’t just talk about Sustainability. We embrace the principles behind our strategy, give back to local communities and invest time in good causes.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shortage of blood for emergency situations and medical treatments due to the decrease in voluntary blood donations worldwide. In response, our Mechelen Site in Belgium partnered with the Red Cross to launch a blood donation campaign. Our colleagues enthusiastically supported the initiative with over 60 colleagues volunteering to donate blood, the full capacity manageable for the Red Cross team on site.
Why is it important to donate blood?
Human blood is an irreplaceable resource, because today, no synthetic drugs or treatments can replace human blood or its derived products. Once blood is collected from a donor, the three blood components (i.e. the red blood cells, the plasma and the?platelets) are separated, processed and prepared for transportation to hospitals. They are used for blood transfusions, to treat patients with blood disorders and to make specific treatments.
A lifeline of medical research
Blood plays a crucial role in the development of medicines. Scientists use blood samples to develop new drugs, study diseases, and test the safety and effectiveness of potential treatments.
For example, blood is used to create cell cultures, which are used to test how new drugs affect human cells. Scientists also use blood to isolate and study specific cells, such as immune cells or cancer cells, to better understand how they function and how they respond to different drugs.
In addition, blood samples are used to identify biomarkers, which are molecules that can indicate the presence of a disease or how a patient may respond to a specific treatment. Biomarkers can help scientists develop personalized treatments that are tailored to a patient’s individual needs.
Overall, blood is a valuable resource in the development of new medicines and therapies, and its use in the lab is critical to advancing medical research and improving patient outcomes.
A successful initiative highlighting our “Commitment to Patients”
It is our purpose to transform patient outcomes for more years of life and quality of life. We are also committed to meet our ambitious 2028 Sustainability Goals.
Work with us
Feeling inspired? Want to work with us to add years of life and quality of life for patients around the world?
Have a look at our job opportunities on www.workatgalapagos.com, and find your purpose!