CBC News
· collected 2026-09-16 · by Kristin Annable, Michelle Allan, Joanne Levasseur
Donor who reported sexual contact with HIV-positive person allowed to give plasma in Regina: documents
Grifols says plasma goes through rigorous safety tests before being used
Health Canada inspection documents reveal a person who said they'd had sexual contact with someone who tested positive for HIV was allowed to give plasma twice at a for-profit donation centre in Regina.
An inspection exit report obtained by CBC details multiple deficiencies that led federal regulators to find the Grifols paid plasma centre in Regina non-compliant following an inspection that began Jan. 13 of this year.
That includes documenting "multiple times" when people who had punctures and bruising on their veins were allowed to give plasma, without any documented additional assessment of the donor's suitability.
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who → report → suitability
The report said after the donor answered "yes" to the HIV question during screening, they should have been banned from giving plasma indefinitely.
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they → say → plasma
However, the answer was subsequently changed to "no" by a Grifols physician substitute in training, according to the Health Canada report, dated Feb. 20.
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answer → change → report
The report said there was no documentation explaining whether that assessment was reviewed by a qualified trainer, despite the physician substitute being in training.
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substitute → say → training
It's unclear from the report whether the person was, in fact, HIV positive or why the answer was switched to "no".
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answer → switch → no
The inspection report also detailed another instance where a person was able to donate without fully completing their questionnaire, and another where a person was allowed to donate despite disclosing multiple medications that would make them ineligible.
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them → detail → medications
Dr. Jacalyn Duffin, a hematologist and professor emeritus of the history of medicine at Queen's University, said the report's findings are disappointing.
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findings → say → University
"It concerns me to know that there might not be sufficient controls in selections of the donors," she said.
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she → concern → donors
"The whole business speaks of a kind of sloppiness."
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business → speak → sloppiness
'Significant findings': internal audit
CBC also obtained a 2025 internal audit of the Regina location conducted by Grifols — a for-profit global health-care company that specializes in producing plasma medicines.
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that → obtain → medicines
It runs over a dozen plasma collection centres across the country, but has temporarily paused its plasma collection in Canada.
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It → run → Canada
The audit said "multiple significant findings were observed" that would require "increased regional oversight" at the centre, according to the 19-page audit report, dated Sept. 11, 2025.
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that → say → report
It found plasma collected from a donor who was HIV-reactive — meaning potentially, but not definitely, HIV-positive — was not properly documented as discarded.
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who → find → donor
The audit said the person in charge of handling the discarded plasma was in training and not aware of the procedures.
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person → say → procedures
The plasma was rejected by a supervisor, so there was no risk, the audit stated.
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audit → reject → supervisor
It is not clear if the HIV-reactive donor was the same donor mentioned in the Health Canada inspection who said they'd had sexual contact with an HIV-positive person.
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they → mention → person
The audit also found no one informed public health officials, as required, after someone's donation had indicators of hepatitis B.
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donation → find → indicators
The report said the previous policy was to only inform public health in the case of a confirmed positive, but that will be revised to include indeterminate results.
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that → say → results
Other major deficiencies were noted, including biowaste stored in a hallway while waiting for pickup.
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deficiencies → note → pickup
The audit also found staff failed to properly disinfect venipuncture sites ahead of a procedure in some instances.
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staff → find → instances
Plasma safety not compromised: Grifols
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safety → compromise → ?
In response to questions about the Health Canada document, a spokesperson for Grifols said it has a multilayered system that goes beyond the initial donor interviews to ensure the safety of the plasma collected.
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that → say → plasma
"At no point" was "donor safety or the quality and safety of plasma collected at our Regina centre — or at any of our other Canadian centres" compromised, the spokesperson wrote in a Sept. 15 emailed statement.
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spokesperson → collect → statement
In an updated statement sent by Grifols following publication of this story, the company said that since Jan. 2026 no donors at Canadian collection centres have been confirmed positive for HIV or hepatitis B.
Two donors were confirmed positive for hepatitis C and another two showed indicators of the viral infection.
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two → update → infection
In 2025, one donor was confirmed positive for HIV, the spokesperson wrote in a Sept. 16 emailed statement.
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spokesperson → confirm → statement
The number of confirmed positive donors in Canada "remains very low" and are below Grifols established alert limits, they said.
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they → confirm → limits
The spokesperson said any positive donation is removed before large scale processing begins.
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processing → say → ?
They said during screening they check people for any visible marks on their arms.
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they → say → arms
If there is bruising they are referred to a physician.
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they → be → physician
Each donation undergoes multiple rigorous tests to ensure the safety of the plasma after it is collected and before large-scale processing begins, the spokesperson wrote.
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spokesperson → undergo → plasma
Dr. Graham Sher, the longtime CEO of Canadian Blood Services — which manages the country's blood and plasma supply — said there are quality gaps at Grifols that "no one is disputing.
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one → manage → that
"
But the fact Health Canada allowed the company to continue to operate shows there were no critical defects occurring, he said, stressing the safety of the product collected by Grifols.
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he → allow → Grifols
"At no circumstance would Canadian Blood Services continue business with a vendor of any sort if the product we were getting from them was putting patients in harm's way," he said.
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he → continue → way
Grifols signed an agreement with Canadian Blood Services in 2022 that allowed the company to open paid plasma collection centres in Canada, in order to meet national targets for plasma supply.
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company → sign → supply
Plasma is used to make a number of medications, such as immunoglobulin, to treat multiple different diseases.
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Plasma → use → diseases
Plasma transfusions can be used in urgent situations to treat conditions like liver failure.
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transfusions → use → failure
Sher said there is context missing in the Health Canada report, including Grifols's response to the agency's concerns and the regulator's satisfaction with those answers.
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Sher → say → answers
"At no point did any product get collected from this donor [who answered 'yes' to the HIV-contact question] that would have been compromised and make its way into the system," he said.
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he → collect → system
"When a single finding is reported absent the full context, then it does suggest there is risk that doesn't exist."
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that → report → context
Sher also said given the current geopolitical climate, it's important for Canada to be self-sufficient in plasma collection and avoid having to import from countries like the United States.
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Canada → say → States
…and 16 more, not listed.
The Aporia
