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Plasma Donor with HIV Contact Allowed to Donate Twice
16 Sep
Summary
- A person with HIV contact donated plasma twice at a Regina centre.
- Health Canada found multiple deficiencies at the for-profit Grifols centre.
- An internal audit revealed HIV-reactive plasma was not properly documented.
Health Canada inspections uncovered serious deficiencies at a Grifols plasma donation centre in Regina. A report from February 20, 2026, details that an individual who had recent sexual contact with an HIV-positive person was permitted to donate plasma on two occasions. This donor, after initially answering 'yes' to screening questions about HIV exposure, had their response changed to 'no' by a physician substitute in training. The report also noted instances of donors with punctured veins and bruising being allowed to donate without further assessment, and others donating without completing questionnaires or while on ineligible medications.
An internal Grifols audit from September 11, 2025, further highlighted significant findings requiring oversight. This audit revealed that plasma collected from an HIV-reactive donor was not properly documented as discarded. Additionally, public health was not informed about a donation showing indicators of hepatitis B, a process that was not fully compliant with previous policies. Biowaste was also found stored in a hallway, and staff sometimes failed to properly disinfect venipuncture sites.
Despite these findings, a Grifols spokesperson stated that donor safety and plasma quality were never compromised, emphasizing rigorous post-collection testing. Graham Sher, CEO of Canadian Blood Services, acknowledged quality gaps but indicated no critical defects occurred, as evidenced by Health Canada's continued operation allowance. Grifols has since taken full ownership of its Canadian operations and continues to pause plasma collection to implement its own quality standards.
