January 23, 2019
The provincial NDP is calling for a ban on paid plasma collection, amidst warnings that a private clinic is exploiting Saskatchewan people and shipping their blood products out of the country.
Opposition Leader Ryan Meili used a press conference Wednesday to blast the Canadian Plasma Resources clinic, which has operated in Saskatoon for about three years. It now pays donors up to $40 per visit on prepaid credit cards in exchange for the plasma in their blood, according to its website, and offers additional bonuses to new clients.
Dustin Duncan, who was health minister when the clinic opened, said at the time that it could be “part of the solution” for achieving Canadian plasma self-sufficiency, as more than 80 per cent of plasma-derived drugs are currently sourced from the United States.