For-profit blood clinic planning to open in Saskatoon

A private company that pays people to “donate” blood is set to open the first for-profit plasma donation clinic in the country, right here in Saskatchewan. Health Minister Dustin Duncan says he welcomes the clinic, despite health concerns raised over for-profit plasma clinics.

The company, Canadian Plasma Resources, has tried to open for-profit clinics in Ontario – but that province passed legislation in 2014 that bans companies from paying people for their plasma. Now, they’re setting up in Saskatoon – and it’s only a matter of days or weeks, says the company’s CEO, before the clinic is fully licenced. 

In the 1980s, a tainted blood scandal resulted in more than 30,000 Canadians being infected with HIV and Hepatitis C, after receiving tainted blood and plasma. A federal inquiry later found that paid blood donations were partly to blame.

Here’s a short video of survivors of the tainted blood crisis explaining why Canada should urgently ban paid blood plasma donations across the country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaUHhHBbkV0

Tell the Canadian government to take action, by adding your name to the petition.