Subject: Tell Your MLA to Support the Bill to Repeal
Dear CIPO Alberta Members,
Today, MLA for Wood Buffalo, Tany Yao, introduced a private members bill to repeal the Voluntary Blood Donations Act.
The Voluntary Blood Donations Act:
Passed in 2017 under the NDP Government, the Voluntary Blood Donations Act banned all compensation for the donation of blood and plasma in Alberta.
Why Is Today’s Bill Important?
Today’s PMB introduced a repeal of the 2017 Voluntary Blood Donations Act. This would make it legal to compensate donors in Alberta for donating plasma. Plasma is used to make immune globulin (IG), which makes IVIG and SCIG.
Canada and the World Needs More Plasma
Currently, Canada only meets roughly 14% its plasma needs. The rest is purchased, on the open market, from the US. While we are not currently experiencing an immune globulin (IG) shortage in Canada, we had a shortage of SCIG last summer, which then led to an IVIG shortage later last year.
Because of COVID-19, plasma donations are down globally and we can expect IG shortages unless plasma donations increase. It is vital that Canadians contribute to the global supply of plasma.
What Can You Do?
Today, MLA for Wood Buffalo, Tany Yao, introduced a private members bill, Bill 204 the Voluntary Blood Donations Repeal Act. Bill 204 would repeal the Voluntary Blood Donations Act and make it legal to compensate the donation of plasma in Alberta.
The Voluntary Blood Donations Act:
Passed in 2017 under the NDP Government, the Voluntary Blood Donations Act banned all compensation for the donation of blood and plasma in Alberta.
Why Is Today’s Bill Important?
Today’s PMB introduced a repeal of the 2017 Voluntary Blood Donations Act. This would make it legal to compensate for the donation of plasma in Alberta. Canada currently only supplies roughly 13% of it’s plasma needs. Canada needs to create a stronger system of plasma donation in Canada. This bill can help.
Please write to your MLA today and ask them to support the private members bill introduced by MLA Yao, repealing the Voluntary Blood Donations Act. Explain your loved ones in need of plasma.
Read MLA Yao’s press release: Yao Bill 204 Press Release
To find your MLA: https://www.assembly.ab.ca/lao/mla/mla_help.htm
Read about the Voluntary Blood Donations Act
https://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/V05.pdf
Read about paid plasma and CIPO’s public position: http://www.cipo.ca/advocacy/