Canadian Plasma Resources Responds to the introduction of legislation by Minister Matthews

TORONTO, March 20, 2014 /CNW/ - Ontario's need for lifesaving drugs made from human plasma far exceeds our ability to produce it. That's why Ontario's health care system purchases hundreds of millions of dollars of these products from American companies that compensate plasma donors. No country in the world is self-sufficient in the production of these products from a solely voluntary donor base. This is not about collecting blood or plasma for transfusion, but rather plasma that will be manufactured into critical pharmaceutical products for patients with life threatening diseases.

Today, Health Minister Deb Matthews introduced legislation aiming to stop Ontario companies from supplying these products.

"Minister Matthews is ignoring evidence and distorting facts to the detriment of patients, the health care system, and our economy. She is shutting down an Ontario company in favour of foreign competition." Said Barzin Bahardoust, CEO of Canadian Plasma Resources.

"This legislation means that Ontario's patients will remain dependent on American companies for these lifesaving drugs," he continued. It is irresponsible to design a Health Care system over reliant on paid donors abroad, where we have no regulatory oversight."

The Canadian Hemophilia Society said in its statement that it sees "the decision by the Government of Ontario not to allow these centres to open to be a reaction to public opinion, not a decision based on science or ethics. Over the last 20 years, the plasma industry has developed well-documented and effective procedures to ensure that plasma can be collected safely, both for the donors and the recipients."

In its 2013 report to Canadians, Canadian Blood Services, the organization that collects whole blood and plasma for transfusion, and purchases plasma protein therapies from private companies, stated: "self-sufficiency is not operationally or economically feasible in a volunteer, non-remunerated model."

SOURCE: Canadian Plasma Resources

Dr. Barzin Bahardoust
CEO, Canadian Plasma Resources
416-857-7134
[email protected]