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Two Die After Plasma Donation in Canada
11 Mar
Summary
- Two individuals died after donating plasma at Winnipeg collection centers.
- One deceased was a 22-year-old international student from Nigeria.
- Health Canada is currently reviewing both fatal adverse reaction reports.
Two individuals have died following plasma donations at Winnipeg collection centers that compensate donors. Health Canada confirmed it is reviewing two reports of fatal adverse reactions, one occurring in October and the second on January 30, 2026. Among the deceased was Rodiyat Alabede, a 22-year-old international student from Nigeria who moved to Canada in 2022.
Alabede's friends stated she died on October 25 after her heart stopped during a plasma donation appointment at a Grifols center. The second fatal incident happened at a different Grifols location on Innovation Drive. Grifols, a company specializing in plasma medicines, stated it has no reason to believe a correlation exists between the deaths and plasma donation.
Plasma donors can receive honorarium payments of up to $100 per donation. All plasma collection establishments are regulated by Health Canada and must report serious reactions. Experts describe the probability of dying from plasma donation as extremely rare, akin to being struck by lightning. Health Canada conducted on-site visits at the collection centers following each report.
