Following the tainted blood scandal of the 1980s and the Krever Commission, Canada’s national blood system was established on the principle of voluntary donation through an agreement by the federal, provincial and territorial governments.
That’s why I’m writing today to outline the steps our government is taking to prohibit the operation of private paid plasma clinics in Ontario and to encourage a consistent, pan-Canadian approach to this issue.
As you may be aware, Health Canada has received a licence application from at least one private, for-profit company seeking to open plasma collection sites in Ontario that would pay people for their plasma. Health Canada’s stated view is that provincial-territorial governments can determine if a company may provide payment to donors for plasma.
Over the past year, I’ve heard from many health care organizations and individual Ontarians, including tainted blood victims, who are opposed to private, for-profit plasma collection.
Read the full letter on the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care web site.