Canadian Blood Services says donor death not linked to plasma donation a day earlier
The organization says medical staff reviewed the case and the family was told the death was from natural causes.
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Canadian Blood Services has confirmed that a volunteer donor died a day after giving plasma at one of its centres this fall, but says the death was not connected to the donation. The organization declined to say where or exactly when the death happened, citing family privacy.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the organization said its medical staff reviewed the donor's records, assessed the last donation and spoke with immediate family. The family said medical providers had determined the death was from natural causes. Canadian Blood Services said it shared its review with Health Canada, which advised that no follow-up was required. Health Canada could not be reached for comment.
All blood collection services in Canada, public and private, must report to Health Canada any donor death within 72 hours of a donation. Plasma collection has drawn scrutiny since March, when Health Canada confirmed it was investigating two deaths of people in Winnipeg who had donated at Grifols centres. Health Canada says its investigation found no link to the collection process. Kat Lanteigne, former executive director of the now-defunct advocacy group BloodWatch, argued that all three deaths should undergo scientific review, saying the goal is to strengthen donor protections rather than assign blame.
