March 14 2026
The death of Rodiyat Alabede, a 22-year-old international student at the University of Winnipeg, is a heartbreaking tragedy. Alabede, and one other person yet to be identified, both died after donating plasma at two separate, for-profit Grifols plasma collection clinics in Winnipeg, according to media reports. The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) extends our condolences to the families and loved ones of both.
“What has happened should be a wake-up call for all health officials and elected representatives about the dangers of for-profit paid plasma collection,” said NUPGE President Bert Blundon. “A history non-compliance at Grifols clinics offered several warning signs.”
The list is long. In 2023, a donor at a Winnipeg location alleges he suffered an acute kidney injury caused by mechanical equipment failure. In December 2025, Health Canada inspectors found the Grifols centre in Calgary to be non-compliant. In January 2026, a Regina location was also found non-compliant. Both inspections found shortcomings in assessing donor suitability, quality control, operating procedures, and personnel qualifications and training.
“The warning signs were there and they were ignored. This has to stop,” added Blundon.
For years, NUPGE has called for a federal ban on paid plasma collection. The for-profit model puts incentives in place that put donors at risk. Paid plasma also targets vulnerable populations. The Grifols centre in Moncton, for example, is located near the Université de Moncton and offers up to $1,680 in the first three months of donations.
“Our view is plasma collection should only be carried out by Canadian Blood Services on a voluntary, non-profit basis,” said Blundon.
NUPGE calls for the following actions:
- The federal government needs to shut down all Grifols facilities
The federal Minister of Health needs to direct Health Canada to immediately revoke the operating licences of all Grifols plasma collection facilities in Canada. Health Canada’s own inspection records show non-compliance at multiple locations across the country. Two people died after donating plasma, a third was seriously injured, and the public was not informed for months after each incident. These events point to a pattern of systemic failures in oversight throughout the for-profit model. Until an independent investigation is completed and donors’ safety is assured, no Grifols facility should be permitted to operate.
- The Manitoba government needs coroners’ inquests
The Manitoba Health Minister needs to request that the Chief Medical Examiner open coroners’ inquests into both deaths. A Health Canada administrative review is not sufficient. The province’s own health minister has acknowledged the government was not notified of these deaths in a timely manner. NUPGE welcomes the news that the Manitoba government is considering banning paid plasma, but inquests are also needed to examine the facts, determine what went wrong, and produce recommendations to prevent further harm. Manitoba has the authority and the responsibility to act now.
- All provincial governments need voluntary blood donations legislation
Every province and territory needs to pass voluntary blood donations legislation banning paid plasma collection. Ontario, B.C., and Quebec have bans in place. Unfortunately, clinics continue to run in provinces that have not followed suit, including Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick. These deaths demonstrate the real and fatal risks of the for-profit model. Provincial governments have the power to protect their constituents, and they should use it.
- Canadian Blood Services has to cancel the Grifols contract and fulfil its mandate
Canadian Blood Services needs to immediately terminate its contract with Grifols and end the designation of Grifols as a third-party collection agent. Canadian Blood Services was created with a clear mandate to protect Canada’s voluntary blood and plasma system. The agreement with Grifols goes against that mandate. Canadian Blood Services needs to take complete responsibility for plasma collection in Canada, expand its own voluntary collection infrastructure, and stop outsourcing its mandate to a for-profit multinational corporation whose operations are now linked to two deaths and a serious injury.
“The federal government, provincial governments, and Canadian Blood Services all have the tools to act and they need to use them. No one should ever have to worry for their life donating plasma,” said NUPGE President Bert Blundon.