NANB Asks Government to Reconsider For-Profit Model of Blood Plasma Collection

The Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB) which represents registered nurses and nurse practitioners in New Brunswick, urges the government to further study a for-profit model of blood plasma collection before the implementation of a clinic proposed for Moncton, NB. NANB is mandated to protect the public and support healthy public policy, if implemented, this decision would challenge the Krever Commission which recommends that: blood is a public resource; donors should not be paid; access to blood and blood products should be free and universal, and safety of the blood supply system is paramount.

Given the World Health Organization’s position ‘that the safest blood donors are voluntary, non-renumerated blood donors from low-risk populations,’ and Canada’s 1970’s/80’s contaminated blood supply where more than 2,000 persons were infected, as well as province-wide banning of such paid for plasma clinics in other provinces, it would appear that the New Brunswick government is introducing a large amount of unnecessary risk back into the blood supply system.

NANB would ask that the government reconsider its position on the matter for ethical and evidence-based public policy reasons urging them to put ‘patient’s safety’ first.