Full Press Release Details
TORONTO, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Will Trial Lawyers and the Ontario Health Coalition invite members of the media to attend a press conference regarding patient safety issues related to Grifols, one of the world's largest manufacturers of plasma-derived medical products. The media conference will examine issues surrounding public safety and reported adverse events; patients’ legal rights and available supports; regulatory oversight, transparency, and accountability. Speakers will discuss patients' legal rights, the importance of reporting adverse events, and measures that can strengthen public confidence in Canada's blood and plasma systems.
Date:July 13, 2026Time:10:30 AMBy Zoom:Media are invited to register here:https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/mgc6yMZaSPeTNcSknWZjrgand Zoom will email the link.Speakers:Representatives from Will Trial Lawyers, Representatives from the Ontario Health Coalition
Background:Canadian Blood Services has given a 15-year monopoly contract to Grifols to extract plasma and manufacture plasma-derived products from Canadians. Health Canada has approved Grifols to operate in Canada and take plasma at double the rate that Canadian Blood Services does. The contract is controversial due to Grifols’ practices, including offering financial incentives to donors to donate frequently and the selling products derived from Canadians’ plasma internationally. Two people died after having their plasma harvested at Grifols’ centres and others have reported hospitalizations.
Canadian Blood Services and Health Canada have continued to allow Grifols to operate despite numerous serious issues of non-compliance in inspections. Currently British Columbia and Quebec ban paid plasma by provincial law and Newfoundland and PEI have no paid plasma centres. Ontario has a Voluntary Blood Donations Act (2014) that bans paid plasma by private entities but Grifols has been allowed to operate in this province by the Ford government regardless. The Health Coalition notes that the Ontario Act does not contain any agency clause “loophole” allowing Canadian Blood Services to contract Grifols to buy and sell plasma in this province legally.
Will Trial Lawyersis a Canadian law firm representing individuals and families in complex medical negligence, class actions, product liability, and personal injury litigation. The firm advocates for accountability and access to justice for those harmed by negligent conduct or unsafe products.Contact:Michael Reid, 905-337-9748,mreid@willtriallawyers.ca
The Ontario Health Coalitionis a non-partisan public interest organization dedicated to protecting and improving Ontario's public health care system through advocacy, research and public education. The OHC represents more than 750,000 Ontarians in its network of more than 500 member organizations, 50 local chapters and individuals.Contact:Natalie Mehra, executive director 416-230-6402,info@ontariohc.ca.