Two Winnipeggers dead after donating plasma; Health Canada says no link so far
Posted March 11, 2026 7:20 pm.
Last Updated March 12, 2026 12:29 pm.
Grifols Plasma Donation Centre has confirmed two of its plasma donors in Winnipeg died recently.
In a statement, the company said it reported the incidents to the federal regulators and launched internal investigations.
The donation centre offered condolences to the donors’ families.
The company said it reported the deaths to Health Canada, as required by the regulations and that it’s cooperating with the investigation.
Any serious adverse reaction or deaths within 72 hours of donating plasma must be reported to Health Canada.
Grifols added that plasma donation is a low-risk procedure with thousands around the world safely donating every day.
CityNews reached out to Health Canada but didn’t immediately receive a response.
On Thursday, Health Canada told The Canadian Press its investigation so far has not established a link between the donation process and the two deaths.
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, in a statement to CityNews, said: “These are heartbreaking tragedies, and Manitobans deserve safety and clear answers about how this happened.”
“We expect the federal investigation to reveal any potential issues and identify safeguards that need to be implemented to ensure the safety of Manitobans. People who donate plasma need to know their safety will never be put at risk,” the minister added.
