Donation of blood has always been free. Why charge now?

Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity CommitteeOn Monday, March 3, 2025, a rally was held at the for-profit plasma Grifols Donation Centre in Whitby between 1-3pm.  Various organizations, including Ontario Health Coalition and unions (OPSEU, CUPE, ONA) came together to protest (Dozens rally against paid plasma donation clinic in Whitby, Ont., calling practice unethical | CBC News).The contract that the Ford government has proposed, allows a for-profit pharmaceutical giant – Grifols – to set up private clinics to collect blood, process it, and sell plasma to Canadian Blood Services for their own profit. Not only is it the privatization of who owns and controls our blood system but it also ushers in payment for blood to replace voluntary blood donations.Many countries ban payment for blood, for public safety, to protect their volunteer donation systems, and on principle. Around the globe, the sale of human organs is not permitted, organs are not commodities. It crosses the most serious moral boundaries that we have, and those boundaries are longstanding – for good reason – the poor should not be exploited to sell their body parts. With the growth in the for-profit plasma industry in the United States, deeply disturbing pattern can be seen – there are more than 900 for-profit clinics that have set up in poor neighbourhoods.

Why is this important?

1. Exploitation of Vulnerable Populations

Paying individuals for blood or plasma donations opens the door to the potential exploitation of vulnerable groups, such as those in financial distress. People in dire financial situations may feel pressured to donate plasma regularly to make ends meet, which raises concerns about the potential for coercion. Blood and plasma should be donated altruistically, and payment could undermine the principle of volunteerism. This has always been in the case in our communities.According to Research and Market, “the global blood plasma derivatives market reached a value of nearly $48.3 billion in 2023, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% since 2018. The market is expected to grow from $48.3 billion in 2023 to $73.7 billion in 2028 at a rate of 8.8%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2028 and reach $115.7 billion in 2033.” ($115+ Billion Blood Plasma Derivatives Global Market).Handing over critical elements of our blood supply to multinational for-profit companies comes with other serious risks. According to Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition, “in Romania, for example, five companies were fined after colluding to withhold the supply of plasma from the market to pressure the government to retract a tax on their products. Giving over control to corporations whose interest is in profit, not the public good, who try to sell to the global “market” at the highest price, is not in the public interest, nor in the national interest.”

2. Health and Safety Risks

Plasma collection centres run for profit may prioritize quantity over quality, potentially compromising safety standards. Private companies like Grifols are primarily focused on making a profit, which can lead to a conflict of interest when it comes to ensuring that donations are safe for recipients. Donating blood or plasma for compensation may lead to donors downplaying health issues or risks, increasing the chance of unsafe practices.According to the Canadian Media Journal Association “On Nov. 25, 1997, Justice Horace Krever released his landmark report on how Canada’s blood system managed the threat of HIV and hepatitis C transmission from blood transfusions. The tainted blood tragedy, as it came to be called, was arguably the largest public health catastrophe in this country’s history. About 1000 individuals who received blood transfusions between the late-1970s and 1980s were infected with HIV, and another 30 000 were infected with hepatitis C. In 3 volumes, the Krever report meticulously described the events that led to this tragedy and provided guidance on how such a catastrophe could be avoided in the future.” (The Krever Commission — 10 years later | CMAJ).Blood services are a vital and sustaining life-line for many Canadians.  There have been tainted blood scandals in the past due to errors.  The contaminated blood crisis of the 1980’s and 1990’s high lights the importance of this issue.  There was a massive public health care failure, with numerous Canadians who received blood products contaminated with HIV and hepatitis.  Many suffered and died as a result.  Canadians cannot afford another catastrophe or misstep.“The only way to keep our blood supply safe in Canada is to keep private, for-profit corporations like Grifols away from it,” said Geoff Cain, Chair of the OPSEU/SEFPO Blood Services and Diagnostics sector. “Canadian Blood Services already collects plasma.”

3. The Privatization of Public Health Services

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is a public entity that manages the blood donation system in Canada. The decision to partner with a private company like Grifols represents a move toward privatization, which could lead to the erosion of a public system that has been a cornerstone of Canadian healthcare. By turning to a profit-driven model, CBS could be prioritizing financial gain over the ethical considerations of ensuring equitable access to blood products.Blood services are not optional for many patients. It’s a life sustaining and thus an extremely precious resource.  It needs to be free from any potential harm of compromising access, safety, moral or ethical conflicts.According to Sara Labelle, OPSEU/SEFPO Hospital Professionals Division Chair and Region 3 Regional Vice-President, “paid plasma goes against the recommendations from Justice Krever. After more than 10,000 people died and more than 40,000 were infected with HIV or HEP-C the Krever Commission was struck. His recommendations are the reason we have the Canadian Blood Services. Allowing paid plasma puts our voluntary donor base at risk. When Alberta opened the door to paid plasma, they saw a drop in voluntary donors which many hospitals rely on for red blood cells, platelets and plasma to meet patients needs.” Ontario should, first and foremost, put its resources into building up the voluntary donor base. Imagine if Doug Ford had spent the more than $100 million on partisan pre-election advertising on promoting voluntary blood donation instead.

4. Undermining the Public Trust in the Blood Donation System

Ontario residents may feel uncomfortable or distrustful of the blood donation system if the idea of paying for plasma becomes more normalized. The principle of voluntary blood and plasma donations, rooted in altruism, fosters a sense of community and solidarity. The introduction of a profit-driven model may tarnish this trust and could ultimately lead to fewer people willing to donate freely.“When the profit motive is introduced into any public service, corners inevitably get cut in order to increase profits,” said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. “We simply cannot take the chance with our blood supply that profits will trump ethics. Canadian Blood Services has the trained staff and best practices to ensure that every step of the blood collection process is done safely and ethically in a public system.”Why this matters to the people of Ontario.

1. Protecting Altruism: Ontario residents should support maintaining a system that values voluntary donations over a profit-driven model. Blood and plasma donations should remain a selfless act of solidarity, not an economic transaction.
2. Preserving Public Services: Ontario residents have a vested interest in protecting public health services from privatization. The move towards private plasma collection centers could open the door to further privatization in other areas of healthcare, undermining the principle of accessible healthcare for all.
3. Calling for Accountability: By protesting, residents can hold Canadian Blood Services accountable for its decision to use this legal loophole and raise awareness about how private companies like Grifols may prioritize profit over public health.

For-profit blood collection represents a significant shift in how blood and plasma donations are handled in Ontario. By standing up against the opening of paid plasma centers and the privatization of the system, Ontario residents can ensure that their healthcare system remains ethical, safe, and accessible to all.