Canadian veins are not for profit
The rising costs of health privatization – HPD Caucus reminded that fewer get care when care is sold off
By Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity Committee In a stark reminder of the damage done by privatization, Doug Ford’s recent privatization of cataract surgeries was put under the microscope during the OPSEU/SEFPO Hospital Professionals Divisional Convention Caucus meeting on Apr 9, 2026. Ontario Health Coalition Chair Natalie Mehra explained that since Ford privatized cataract surgeries…
Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has an undisclosed 15-year deal with Grifols, a for-profit multinational pharmaceutical company, to privatize plasma collection in Canada.
This agreement gives Grifols a monopoly to collect paid plasma in Ontario and B.C. CBS has taken advantage of a legal loophole to get around a ban on private companies collecting blood for payment.
Our safety is at stake
✘ Private plasma collection creates a blood-for-money system.
✘ Private plasma collection exploits vulnerable populations.
✘ Private plasma collection does not guarantee Canada’s blood plasma self-sufficiency.
✘ Private plasma collection favors profits over ethics.
✘Private plasma collection negatively impacts voluntary donor populations.
Stop the privatization of Ontario’s blood system!
Canadian Blood Services (CBS) and the Ontario Government cannot be allowed to quietly privatize Ontario’s blood system.
CBS has taken advantage of a legal loophole to get around the laws on collecting blood for payment.
Grifols, a for-profit multinational pharmaceutical company is being allowed to collect Ontario blood for payment and the Ontario Government is letting them do so – this is not ethical!
The security of Ontario’s blood supply is at stake!
Private plasma collection
- Creates a blood-for-money system
- Exploits vulnerable populations
- Does not guarantee Canada’s blood plasma self-sufficiency
- Favours profits over ethics
- Negatively impacts voluntary donner populations
Download and sign the petition
href=https://opseu.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-02-Plasma-petition-b.docx
Whereas Canadian Blood Services (CBS) and the Ontario Government cannot be allowed to quietly privatize Ontario’s blood system;
Whereas Canadian Blood Services (CBS) announced an undisclosed 15-year deal with Grifols, a for-profit multinational pharmaceutical company to privatize plasma collection in Ontario;
Whereas Grifols pharmaceutical has a history of exploiting vulnerable communities, targeting young people and those experiencing financial difficulty;
Whereas Ontarians support the Ontario Voluntary Blood Donations Act;
Whereas The Ontario Voluntary Blood Donations Act bans payment for blood in Ontario; and
Whereas the Government of Ontario has refused to enforce the Ontario Voluntary Blood Donations Act; therefore
We the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:
- The Ontario Government must properly enforce the Ontario Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
- Grifols pharmaceutical company should not be allowed to operate for-profit Plasma collections clinics in Ontario.
- Canadian Blood Services with the support of the Ontario Government should invest in plasma collection centres and upgrade existing blood donation centres so that they can collect plasma through voluntary donors.
Make your City or Town a No Paid-Plasma Zone!
Fill out your name, email, and postal code, and we’ll send your City/Town Councilor an email letting them know the safety and dignity of people is always more important than profiteers’ money-grubbing.
(If you don’t see information for your Councilor show up, we have a resolution you can send copy and send in yourself.)
Bring a Resolution to your City/Town Council
As part of the No Paid Plasma campaign we have developed a resolution that you can take to your own local city council and encourage them to declare their city a “No Paid Plasma Zone!”
The resolution is rooted in the principles of voluntary, non-remunerated blood and plasma donation, as recommended by the World Health Organization and the Krever Commission.
The resolution addresses recent developments that undermine these principles, like the secret 15-year exclusive contract signed by Canadian Blood Services with Grifols Pharmaceuticals, allowing the company to operate paid plasma clinics despite paid blood and plasma collection being prohibited in Ontario.
By supporting this resolution and encouraging your city council to pass it, you can help protect our public blood and plasma collection system, safeguard the health of Ontarians, and prevent the exploitation of vulnerable populations.
Please consider bringing this resolution to the attention of your city council and advocating for its passage. Together, we can ensure the safety, integrity, and fairness of our blood and plasma supply system!
Link to the resolution (PDF): No Paid Plasma City Council Resolution
Save our voluntary blood system!
href=https://opseu.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/To_.Health.Ministers.re_.CBSGrifols.pdf
We need to demand better.
Join the growing number of Canadians – including Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Health Critic France Gélinas – telling health ministers and key executives at Canadian Blood Services to stop the agreement with Grifols and comply with the terms of the Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
The email reads:
To:
Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, Canada , Minister of Health, Canada
Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health, Ontario
Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, British Columbia
To Ministers of Health,
Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has made an undisclosed 15-year deal with the Spanish-owned big pharma corporation Grifols to privatize blood plasma collection services in Canada. The deal — with the world’s largest for-profit plasma producer — would allow Grifols to pay donors for their plasma and grants the company a monopoly on paid plasma collection in Ontario and BC.
If allowed, the agreement would violate the Voluntary Blood Donations Act in Ontario, which protects blood plasma as a public resource. Appointing Grifols as a third-party collector for CBS would create a two-tier system for plasma collection. CBS has argued that because they are “exempt” from the law, Grifols should be too – but they are wrong.
CBS publicly took a stand against privatizing the collection of plasma in 2017. But, behind the scenes they were already taking steps to sell access to our plasma donors to private, for-profit companies whose collection model specifically targets poor and vulnerable populations to sell their plasma. It’s already happening in the US.
A shift toward a paid plasma collection would undermine CBS’ voluntary collection efforts and endanger the security of our voluntary donor base. It is also a betrayal of the public trust and an ethical violation of CBS’ duty to safeguard the blood system and voluntary donor base.
The Krever Commission’s findings are clear: blood is a public resource, donors shouldn’t be paid for their blood or plasma, and CBS should not contract their duties to another company. This deal contravenes these principles and current recommendations from all international blood organizations.
I am asking you to take action and commit to the following:
- Investigate the nature of this agreement and make the terms public.
- Issue an order for CBS to comply with the terms of the Voluntary Blood Donations Act; and
- Remove CBS CEO Graham Sher for his failure of leadership in the public interest.
With these critical changes, we can protect the integrity of the voluntary donation system and keep profit out of blood and plasma collection.
Canadian donors are not for sale!
I’m calling on you to do the right thing.
Sincerely,
{your name will appear here}
What should CBS leadership be doing?
Full list of the CBS board members
Invest in public plasma collection
Hema-Quebec has shown that investment in public voluntary plasma collection is key to self-sufficiency. Australia, too, has reached almost 60% self-sufficiency, with just 2 plasma-only collection centres, by upgrading the majority of blood collection centres to collect both plasma and blood – an easier, faster transition.
Instead of throwing money at a private company, CBS should invest in plasma collection centres and upgrade more blood donation centres so they can also collect plasma.
Protect plasma donors
Private plasma companies have a history of exploiting vulnerable communities. Their predatory practices target young people and those facing financial difficulty. Canadian donors should never be treated as a source for private economic gain.
Respect the Voluntary Blood Donations Act
The Voluntary Blood Donations Act bans payment for blood in Ontario. The exemption allowing CBS to pay donors was meant for emergency circumstances; not as a legal loophole to sell off Canada’s plasma donors to private companies!
Stop the secrecy
CBS cannot be allowed to quietly privatize Canada’s blood plasma. CBS is accountable to the public. CBS must uphold their mandate to treat blood and plasma as a public resource: Cancel the deal with Grifols!
“Plasma, just like whole blood, is a public resource that must be safeguarded for Canadians.”
– Canadian Blood Services, 2017
In the news
OPSEU/SEFPO calls for immediate resignation of Canadian Blood Services Board as CBS partner Grifols airs plans to profit from Canadian-donated blood
B.C. rebuffs Canadian Blood Services, will not allow private company to collect blood plasma
OPSEU/SEFPO, NUPGE, and BloodWatch.org Call for Canadian Blood Services CEO to resign in wake of plasma privatization deal
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