A private clinic that collects plasma is reopening in Edmonton after a brief hiatus following two donor deaths. Grifols paused operations across Canada in August after two donors died in October 2025 and January 2026 in Winnipeg. Health Canada said the deaths were not linked to the plasma donation. “Grifols proactively and voluntarily decided to pause plasma collection activities at all plasma donation centres in Canada on Aug. 14,” said a statement from the organization. Advocates have criticized Grifols, a private, for-profit, biopharmaceutical company for not following health standards after it was found that some donors experienced adverse reactions like heart attacks, blood clots and destruction of red blood cells. Grifols said that it has improved operating procedures, documentation practices, employee training and supervision, staffing models, quality review processes and operational oversight. Prior to 2020, Alberta had a ban on paid plasma and blood collection before it was repealed by the United Conservative Party government. “The return of pay-for-plasma to Alberta is bad news,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of health advocacy group Friends of Medicare. “Serious, ongoing safety concerns have been raised over Grifols’ paid plasma sites across the country, including at the Calgary collection site which was found to be non-compliant with federal safety regulations.” Grifols will be reopening its Windermere location in Edmonton as well as a location in Winnipeg. Additional locations across the country will reopen gradually.
