Notice to Donors

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Our Commitment:

At Canadian Blood Services we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our donors’ personal information. We do so by following relevant laws and best practices.

What is Personal Information?

Personal information is information that can be used to identify you. It includes such details as your name, address, telephone numbers, date of birth, health status, laboratory test results and donation history.

Why Do We Collect and Retain Your Personal Information?

We collect and retain your personal information so we may assess your eligibility to donate and to ensure the safety and sufficiency of the blood system.

We restrict access to your personal information to Canadian Blood Services’ staff and volunteers who need access to this information in order to perform their jobs. All staff and volunteers sign a pledge of confidentiality to keep personal information confidential.

How Do We Use Your Personal Information?

We use your personal information to:

• Assess your eligibility to donate and to retain you as a donor.
• Collect and retain test results for each donation and, if necessary, provide you with test results or request further tests.
• Access your test results in the event of accidental blood exposure.
• Advise you regarding our programs and donor events.
• Honour you at donor award ceremonies by printing your name in the program and presenting you with appropriate awards.
• Make our services better and more efficient
• Support our research programs. Researchers working on approved studies have access to personal information provided that consent and privacy issues have been addressed.
• Support our educational activities in training new health care professionals.
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements. For example, the Food and Drugs Act includes provisions relevant to the blood supply system.
• Fullfill any other purpose prescribed by law.
• Contact you for the purpose of fundraising activities. If you wish to remove your name from our fundraising contact list, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) and ask for our National Fundraising Office.

Your Personal Information May Be Shared With:

• Third parties (e.g. service providers, researchers, auditors) provided they agree to keep it confidential.
• Public health authorities in the case of positive test results.
• Héma-Québec, in accordance with our agreement to share donor records.
• Others as authorized or required by law.

How to Contact Us:

You may contact our Privacy and Access Office for more information about our privacy and access practices, or to request access to or correction of your personal information as follows:

• In Writing:
  Canadian Blood Services
  Privacy and Access Office
  1800 Alta Vista Drive
  Ottawa, ON K1G 4J5
• By phone:
  1-613-739-2483
  1-877-262-9191 (toll free)
• By e-mail:
  Privacy Office - privacy@blood.ca
  Access to Information office - ati@blood.ca

If you feel your concerns have not been addressed by Canadian Blood Services you have the right to contact your provincial Privacy Commissioner or Privacy Ombudsman. Look on our web site for their contact information.