The deaths of two plasma donors in Winnipeg do not have a connection to the donation itself, Health Canada says.
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for Health Canada, Mark Johnson, said the assessments following the two deaths — one in October 2025 and another in January 2026 — have been completed.
“According to all information available to Health Canada, no linkage has been established between the plasma donation process and the deaths of the donors in question,” he said.
Johnson added that the agency visited the two Grifols sites in Winnipeg to assess compliance with the Blood Regulations.
“Health Canada identified areas of non-compliance and requested Grifols to provide a corrective and preventative action plan, which is under review,” he said.
Establishments can immediately begin to implement corrective actions before submitting a formal version of the corrective plan, Johnson said.
The inspection process is considered finished when the plan is reviewed and does not require future inspections by an inspector. The federal department did not provide additional information, citing that the inspection process is ongoing. No estimated time of completion was given.
During a news conference on March 12, Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said a ban on plasma donation is on the table, depending on the results of Health Canada’s investigation.
The Manitoba Health Coalition previously called for an independent inquest into the deaths and a ban on for-profit donation on March 13.
Noah Schulz, provincial director of the coalition, said a lot of questions remain unanswered.
“From what I’ve seen — no machines were malfunctioning, that’s great. What about other non-compliance patterns we’ve seen? Were the patients screened appropriately? I haven’t seen anything about that yet and that’s a major concern,” he said.
Schulz reiterated the necessity of independent investigation.
“We called, from the beginning, for an independent judicial inquest to let the medical examiners in Manitoba get to the bottom of this. I think we need this for public trust.”
In a statement, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said all options remain on the table.
“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” they said. “These tragedies are deeply felt and Manitobans deserve compassion, transparency and reassurance that their safety comes first.
“Now that Health Canada’s review has concluded, we will carefully assess the findings and determine what further steps may be needed,” they added.
CTV News has reached out to Grifols for comment.
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With files from CTV News’ Jeff Keele, Alex Karpa and Kayla Rosen
