Toronto wants to ban paid plasma clinics, but 2 are already slated to open in the city next year

Toronto is declaring itself a paid-plasma-free zone — a designation that will likely do nothing to stop Canadian Blood Services from opening two clinics in the city's suburbs next year that will pay people for plasma donations.

Council's decision came Thursday, when councillors passed a motion asking federal, provincial, territorial and other municipal governments to allow only voluntary plasma donations, on the grounds that paying people for their blood exploits the vulnerable.

"Many, many people go to a blood clinic as often as they can so they can collect a paycheque — strictly for the money," said Coun. Chris Moise, who drafted the motion. "That's something I don't want to see in Ontario, more specifically in Toronto."

Canadian Blood Services (CBS) manages the national supply of blood products for all the provinces and territories, excluding Quebec. In March, it announced the Spanish pharmaceutical company Grifols, operating as an agent of CBS, had been contracted to open five new paid plasma sites in southern Ontario by 2025, to complement the 12 it already operates in five other provinces. Prior to that announcement, there were no paid plasma clinics in Ontario.

The five new Ontario sites include the two locations in Toronto's suburbs — Etobicoke and North York — as well as Hamilton, Cambridge and Whitby. That will bring the total number of paid plasma centres Grifols operates in Canada to 17. Grifols expects the new sites to open by mid 2025. 

Three provinces — Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec — have legislation in place banning paid plasma clinics. However in Ontario's case, the Voluntary Blood Donations Act specifically exempts CBS from this ban.

CBS said in a 2023 news release that it's authorizing new clinics to meet a growing demand for plasma, most of which it currently imports from the U.S. 

Plasma is the yellow-ish, protein-rich portion of blood used to treat trauma patients who are bleeding, or who have blood clotting problems. All plasma collected in this country is used in Canada to treat Canadian patients, the news release states.

Hamilton also objected to paid plasma donation clinics

Within months of CBS's March announcement, the City of Hamilton had drafted a resolution declaring itself a paid-plasma-free zone.

Asked for reaction to Toronto city council's decision, CBS referred to a statement it issued in June in response to Hamilton's resolution. In that statement, CBS pointed out the Hamilton declaration was purely "symbolic," since municipalities cannot override the provincial law that allows CBS to set up paid clinics. 

"All donor centres in Canada, regardless of whether donors are paid, are licensed and regulated by Health Canada," the statement says.

"Health Canada's review is independent and grounded in science and safety regulation. This includes routine donor centre inspections and regulatory standards for donor eligibility criteria, donation frequency and donor testing."

In an email to CBC Toronto, Grifols said each plasma donor receives $50 per visit. Its website notes that plasma donations can be made as often as twice a week, with each donation taking more than an hour, since collecting plasma is more complex than simply donating blood.

Once the plasma portion of the blood is harvested at the clinic, "the other components — red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets — are immediately returned to donors through a safe and time-tested process called plasmapheresis. Both processes are safe and regulated by health authorities," Grifols said via email. 

Although Moise said he's concerned the city's most vulnerable citizens could become dependant on the money they receive from paid donations, CBS pointed out that donors are carefully screened, and must provide government ID and proof of a permanent home address. 

Council 'putting its nose into provincial decision'

Toronto council's decision to declare the city a paid-plasma-free zone also had its detractors.

Coun. Stephen Holyday (Etobicoke Centre) voted against the motion on the grounds that blood donor clinics are a federal and provincial responsibility.

"City council is putting its nose into a provincial decision," Holyday said.

"If Canadian Blood Services are in desperately short supply of things like plasma, why would we not support the techniques they use to get people to donate this material, which is so life saving?"

Grifols has not yet said where exactly its North York and Etobicoke clinics will be set up.

The other paid donation clinics across Canada that Grifols operates are in Calgary, Fredericton, Halifax, Moncton, Red Deer, Regina, Saint John, Saskatoon, as well as two each in Winnipeg and Edmonton.

Of the five Ontario cities announced as locations for the clinics earlier this year, only Hamilton and Toronto have objected so far. 

Paid donations 'a complex issue' 

Whitby's Mayor Elizabeth Roy said council there has not addressed the issue.

"Paid plasma donation is a complex issue with differing opinions on the ethical implications and its impact on our health care system," Roy said in an email.

"Municipalities do not regulate blood and plasma donation — this responsibility lies with the provincial and federal governments. Whitby will continue to monitor how other communities are responding to similar developments and how the issue is being addressed by upper levels of government."

Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett hasn't yet responded to a request for comment from CBC Toronto.