Overview
- Two paid plasma donors in Winnipeg died after donating at Grifols clinics, with the first occurring on Oct. 25, 2025 and the second on Jan. 30, 2026, and Health Canada says there have been three plasma-related deaths in Canada in the past decade.
- A federal inspector's report found multiple operational deficiencies at Grifols' Taylor Avenue clinic, including staff responses to machine alarms and training gaps, and the regulator imposed licence conditions on April 1 to limit appointments, boost supervision and tighten records.
- Health Canada has maintained that the deaths were not caused by the donation process, but internal emails show the regulator sought urgent coordination with provincial health ministries on Feb. 11 after the January death.
- Families and advocates say they found inconsistencies between the autopsy, inspector notes and a Health Canada medical summary—disputes include how much plasma was collected and whether the donor 'collapsed' or became 'unresponsive'—and they are calling for a new, independent expert investigation; Grifols says it submitted action plans, found no machine or staff errors, and raised donor payments effective May 18.
- The case spotlights the risks of a paid, commercial plasma model in Canada because Grifols is the main private collector under a deal with Canadian Blood Services, and the controversy could prompt tighter federal enforcement, political scrutiny and changes to donor screening and clinic oversight.