Our commitment to increasing plasma sufficiency in Canada

There is a looming threat to the supply of plasma needed to produce plasma protein products for Canadian patients today and in the future. Demand for plasma is rapidly growing in Canada and globally. Countries need to do more to increase the amount available to manufacture medicines made from the proteins in human plasma. Canadian Blood Services, as a national body responsible for plasma sufficiency in Canada, intends to significantly increase plasma collections. 

The amount of plasma we currently collect only meets about 13-14 per cent of the need for immune globulin (Ig), which is one of the plasma protein products in highest demand. The finished products we buy are made from plasma donated by paid donors in the United States. Buying plasma is not unique to Canada and provides a means of ensuring security of supply for patients. Without this system, patients who depend on these drugs would not have ready access to the therapies they need.