Paid plasma donors fear province will stop cash flow after deaths By: Malak Abas Posted: 6:46 PM CDT Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026

As the provincial government mulls banning the practice of collecting plasma for pay, donors say the system has become a crucial lifeline in tough times.

Health Canada is investigating the deaths of two donors in October and January. Both had plasma drawn at Winnipeg’s two private collection centres, both run by Grifols, a Spain-based company licensed to run Canada’s for-profit paid plasma centres.

One of the deaths, as reported by CBC this week, was 22-year-old Rodiyat Alabede, whose heart stopped while giving plasma Oct. 25.

Health Canada has said no link has been established yet between plasma donation and the deaths, the second of which occurred on Jan. 30, but Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the province is considering a ban on the practice in Manitoba, but will wait for investigation results before making a decision.

“We’re keeping all options on the table,” Asagwara said Thursday. “We want to make sure that first and foremost, public safety is the top priority.”

Nearly every waiting-room seat was filled at the Taylor Avenue Grifols Plasma Donation Centre Thursday afternoon.

Jeff, 51, said he has been driving in from Steinbach to donate plasma twice a week since he was laid off from his job hauling gravel just before Christmas. He makes about $140 a week.

“I’ll be straight, that’s my primary source of income,” he said, declining to provide his last name. “I’ll sit here for an hour-and-a-half, two hours, and I make some money.”

Grifols, which also has a donation centre on Innovation Drive on the University of Manitoba campus, currently pays $100 per session for the first three appointments, and $60 to $70 for most subsequent appointments, depending on the amount of plasma collected. There is also a bonus for every 10 donations made within six weeks, according to the company’s website.

Jeff said he had heard about the two deaths earlier Thursday, but the news didn’t deter him from showing up for his appointment.

“We want to make sure that first and foremost, public safety is the top priority.”

He said other than running a mild fever after one donation, he’s never experienced any side-effects, and he needs the money — most of what he gets goes to servicing the loan on his truck, which he’s hoping to keep while he waits for construction work to pick up again.

He said it sounded like the province is “jumping the gun” on a crucial source of income for many.

“Me, personally, I would not say it’s a good idea to ban it, because of the way it would affect quite a few people,” he said.

Others selling their plasma Thursday said they were surprised and disappointed to hear the province was considering a ban.

“That’s my gas money,” one man said while walking in. “I’d be screwed.”

Most said they would not donate plasma without the financial incentive.

The Manitoba Health Coalition wants to see the practice of paid plasma collection banned entirely, regardless of the results from Health Canada’s investigation.

“It just targets or (preys) on more vulnerable populations, who are then more likely to have adverse reactions… unfortunately, we need kind of a blunt instrument to try to prevent more harm,” said executive director Noah Schulz.

British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec have already banned paid plasma donation, but Ontario has an exemption in place for Grifols through Canadian Blood Services.

According to the Government of Canada’s website, a Grifols plasma centre in Regina was inspected and deemed “non-compliant” with federal regulations as recently as January.

“Building more profit motive into health-care delivery is never something, I think, that ends well for patients,” Schulz said.

A statement from Grifols’ corporate communications said the company strives “to operate under strict operational procedures at the highest standard.”

The statement said the deaths were reported because of Health Canada policy that requires a report if a donor experiences a “serious adverse reaction” or dies within 72 hours of giving plasma.

Asagwara said the provincial government was not informed about the deaths until a few weeks ago, and called it concerning.

A Health Canada spokesperson said it was on site “immediately” at both locations after receiving reports of the deaths to ensure they were compliant with the federal regulations.

Schulz suggested the investigation puts Health Canada in a conflict of interest because it licenses Grifols locations across the country.

The province should move quickly, he said.

A GoFundMe campaign launched in October identifies Alabede as an international student who was enrolled at the University of Winnipeg.

It describes her a a compassionate, kind student who was devoted to her faith as a Muslim and her dream of being a social worker.

The fundraiser, which will go to funeral and burial expenses, passed its $15,000 goal Thursday.

Schulz noted many of the people getting paid to donate plasma are doing so under financial duress.

“I think that’s a pretty sad reflection of our society,” he said.

— With files from Gabrielle Piché

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca