Controversial plasma clinic expands in New Brunswick – CBC

The 3 clinics are owned by Grifols, a Spanish multinational pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer

Jan 07, 2025

Two new clinics that pay people for their plasma have opened in Fredericton and Saint John, following a location that was established in Moncton in 2017.

Plasma makes up more than half of a person’s blood and is rich in protein. It can be transfused directly into patients in urgent situations, such as severe infection and excessive bleeding, or it can be manufactured into medications like immunoglobulins, which is what is being done with the plasma collected by Grifols.

However, Jean-Claude Basque of the New Brunswick Health Coalition, a public advocacy organization, says these kinds of clinics “shouldn’t be allowed.”

Basque said the company behind the clinics is using the human body as a way of siphoning the plasma for profit. He said they often target desperate, vulnerable people living in poverty, pushing them to sell frequently, to make more money.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/paid-plasma-clinic-expands-1.7422474