Private clinic Grifols says it's pausing all plasma collection in Canada

Private clinic Grifols says it's pausing all plasma collection in Canada

Company says temporary shutdown comes amid 'unfounded attention' after recent Winnipeg deaths

A for-profit plasma donation company says it's temporarily shutting down collection at all its Canadian clinics amid public scrutiny.

Grifols says it's pausing activities in light of "unfounded attention" focused on paid plasma collection and that it's ready to resume operations as soon as it's practicable, in agreement with Health Canada and the Canadian Blood Services.

Grifols said it informed Health Canada of its decision Wednesday. The company said the temporary pause will go into effect Friday.

Blood advocates have been calling on the federal government to crack down on the company after CBC News reported two people died after donating plasma at different Grifols clinics in Winnipeg.

A Health Canada inspection recently released under access to information laws found multiple issues with donor screening and supervision. Data from the federal agency show a total of 25 serious adverse reactions had been reported at centres currently operated by Grifols since 2018.

Grifols said in a statement Thursday donor safety and the quality of the plasma it collects have never been compromised.

It said the pause will allow the company to work with the government and Canadian Blood Services on a plasma collection network "without unnecessary reliance on imported product."

With files from Joanne Levasseur