Sudbury students, seniors may hold part of the answer to Canada's plasma problem

Sudbury will soon be home to the first dedicated non-profit plasma collection site in Canada — and that could help the country to shore up its supply of the life-saving fluid. 

The city is one of three test sites planned by Canadian Blood Services. The other two are in Lethbridge, AB, and Kelowna, BC. 

• Health Canada approves increased plasma donations at private clinic
• Canadian Blood Services cuts back donation clinics in northern Ontario

Plasma is the fluid that remains after red and white blood cells and platelets are removed from blood. It's used fresh for transfusions, and in a processed form for various pharmaceutical products.

Jean-Paul Bédard, vice president of plasma operations with Canadian Blood Services, said right now, Canada is only in control of about 13 per cent of its plasma supply. The rest of the processed plasma products the country needs are bought from U.S. suppliers. 

He said the problem has been issues in the supply chain, and Canadian Blood Services wants more control.  

"We're seeing a lot of strain in the marketplace, even right now," he said. "There are instances where we've seen difficulty in getting these products to Canadians." 

Bédard said Sudbury could be part of the answer to Canada's plasma problem. 

He said the city was chosen as a test site in part based on its demographics: Sudbury has a healthy number of both post-secondary students and seniors, people who may have more time on their hands to give. 

"For example, a blood donor right now will be giving on average twice a year, and we're looking for plasma donors that could donate six to eight times per year."

'We need you'

As for the decision to discontinue whole blood collection in Sudbury, Bédard said it came down to focus.

"Initially, we were a bit concerned in a city the size of Sudbury that we would be competing for a lot of the same donors if we went with both operations in the city," he said. "You know, there's only so much that a marketplace can give you."

But, he continued, "We've done our research, and folks in Sudbury have always responded extremely well to our call to donate blood, and we're confident they'll do the same for plasma."

To those whole blood donors in Sudbury who may feel a loss when the service is gone, Bédard said, "We need you. We need you as donors. Because if you're a super-donor, a dedicated blood donor, you can become a dedicated super plasma donor."

Bédard says the new plasma collection site in Sudbury will be open in August 2020, though the exact location has yet to be determined.