Grifols plasma collection centre reopens after temporary shutdown

A Grifols plasma donation centre in south Winnipeg reopened Tuesday as part of the company’s phased return of operations, while a second location remains closed after its licence was suspended.

The Spain-based company has faced scrutiny after two people died following donations at Grifols’ sites on Taylor Avenue and Innovation Drive. The latter location is open again.

Health Canada suspended the Taylor location’s licence Sept. 23, saying the company failed to effectively implement corrective and preventive actions, and did not demonstrate that the centre has an effective quality management system.

Grifols voluntarily closed all of its clinics, including those in Winnipeg, in August. The Innovation Drive location’s licence was not suspended.

University student Rodiyat Alabede, 22, died in October 2025 after donating plasma at the for-profit clinic on Taylor. A second person died in January after making a donation at the Innovation Drive site.

Health Canada has said it found no links between the two deaths and the donation process. Alabede’s family, disputing the conclusion in her case, has called for the investigation to be reopened. Grifols, which pays donors, has said protocols were followed in both cases.

In a news release, Grifols said Tuesday the Innovation Drive location and a facility in Edmonton are reopening with a limited number of appointments that will gradually increase.

The company said the phased reopening plan was developed in co-ordination with Health Canada and Canadian Blood Services.

“We recognize the prudent and effective steps that Grifols has taken to strengthen their quality systems during this pause and understand that Health Canada is also satisfied with the actions taken to support reopening, while continuing to monitor for sustained compliance,” the Canadian Blood Services said in a statement.

“These actions reflect the high standards of quality, safety and regulatory compliance that Canadians expect from the blood and plasma system.”

Grifols and the Canadian Blood Services, which does not pay donors, signed a 15-year contract in 2022.

Grifols, which makes plasma-derived medicines, said it is working with Health Canada to reopen other centres. The news release said Grifols “is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality, donor safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.”

The global pharmaceutical giant paused plasma donations in Canada on Aug. 14, two days after the federal health department gave the Taylor site a non-compliant rating.

Health Canada found the plasmapheresis machine extracting Alabede’s plasma at the Taylor location had shown an alert that should have prompted staff to end the donation, which they failed to do, according to documents.

Alabede collapsed about 45 minutes into plasmapheresis and was taken to hospital. An autopsy found she had a pre-existing heart condition and died of cardiac arrest.

Health Canada said deficiencies were detected after an initial compliance verification inspection at the Taylor clinic Nov. 20, 2025, less than a month after Alabede died.

A Dec. 22 letter written by a federal inspector raised concerns about staff training, record-keeping and how some employees reacted to plasma collection machine alerts or alarms.

An unannounced inspection occurred June 23. After additional compliance checks, the department informed Grifols on July 13 that several conditions were not satisfied. The regulator warned a suspension was possible if deficiencies weren’t corrected.

Grifols said it has improved operating procedures, employee supervision and training, quality review processes and operational oversight after taking full ownership of its Canadian operations Sept. 1. The company has 17 facilities in Canada.

chris.kitching@winnipegfreepress.com