Should pay-for-plasma clinics be allowed to operate in the City of Hamilton?
It’s an important question that will be considered in the chambers of city hall on Monday.
The City of Hamilton is scheduled to hear on a motion that would declare it a “no paid plasma zone.”
It comes following the discovery that a private company has plans to open a pay-for-plasma clinic in the city’s east end despite being a practice banned by the Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
Grifols, a Spanish-based multinational healthcare company, would operate the clinic on Canada Blood Service’s behalf.
While the Voluntary Blood Donations Act deliberately makes paying for blood or blood donations illegal, it contains an exemption for one private non-profit organization: Canada Blood Services.
Canada Blood Services said the agreement is in response to a shortage of plasma donations — which is being filled with the help of paid plasma donations that are taking place in the U.S.
However, the mayor says the motion is to protect marginalized and vulnerable populations from exploitation.
If allowed to operate, Grifols would be strictly regulated, including caps on the number of sites they can open and the amount of plasma it can collect.
Grifols has a number of locations around Canada, including Calgary and Halifax.
Currently, a donor can make up to $70 per donation.
— With files from Simone Gavros
READ MORE: Plasma supply dwindling, Canadian Blood Services in talks about paid donations