Skip to content

B.C. to prevent for-profit blood, plasma collection

Voluntary Blood Donations Act would make it illegal to pay for blood, plasma donations
11630562_web1_171112-BPD-M-blood-donation-surrey-2

The province is introducing new legislation to prevent for-profit blood collecting agencies from setting up shop here and then selling its supply around the world.

Health Minister Adrian Dix introduced the Voluntary Blood Donations Act Thursday, making it illegal for any organization to pay, offer to pay, or advertise that they will pay someone for blood or plasma.

The move follows legislation already introduced in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, to help preserve the integrity of Canada’s public blood and plasma collection system through the Canadian Blood Services, Dix said in a news release.

As of now, there are no businesses of this kind in the province, the ministry said.

The new act includes hefty fines, from $10,000 for the first offence up to $50,000.

For companies, the maximum fine is $100,000 for the first offence, and $500,000 for each subsequent offence.

BC Health Coalition co-chair Rick Turner said the new law will keep blood and plasma off the global market and instead help those using public health-care system.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
Read more