Media Questions & Answers (Q & As)
Hot Topics
How does avian flu affect the blood supply?
Avian influenza has the potential to become a pandemic. Each additional human case gives the virus an opportunity to improve its transmissibility in humans, and thus develop into a pandemic strain. As the numbers of cases of avian flu in humans rises, we must consider the potential impact that such a pandemic could have on the way we live.
Scientists are concerned that the H5N1 strain of avian influenza could become more easily spread from human to human. Should avian flu cause an influenza pandemic, this could have a direct and widespread impact on the way we operate the blood system in Canada.
Our greatest challenge will be in ensuring that we continue to meet hospital and patient needs for blood and blood products, despite a likely decline in donors and staffing.
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What is Canadian Blood Services doing about avian flu?
We are currently involved in a collaborative pandemic influenza planning process with hospitals and organizations including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Through our planning, we expect to address and find solutions for dealing with challenges such as decreased staffing, donor deferrals, and potential decline in blood collections.
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Why do you not allow gay men the right to donate blood?
Canadian Blood Services’ policy indefinitely defers any man who has sex with another man, even once, since 1977. The policy in question does not apply specifically to gay men. This is one of numerous screening procedures which allow us to identify a variety of behaviours and activities known to increase risk to the safety of the blood supply.
The basic premise for our policy pertaining to men who have had sex with men is that the prevalence and incidence of HIV is much higher in males who have had sex with other males than it is in individuals having exclusively heterosexual sex. Statistics released by the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2005 indicate that men who have sex with men represented 58 per cent of the HIV/AIDS cases in Canada. This number is up from 2002, when they represented 40 per cent; and in 1996, when they represented 30 per cent of new cases of HIV/AIDS in Canada.
While we do test all units of blood and testing is sophisticated, there still exists a brief period after the onset of a viral infection during which early signs of a virus cannot be detected. This period of time is known as the "window period". However, the system is as safe as current testing and technology allows, combined with Canadian Blood Services' stringent screening processes (e.g., donor questionnaire, deferral policies).
We continually review our policies and procedures in the face of changing science and technology and as such we are conducting a risk assessment of this issue. Any change in donor criteria would have to be considered safe from a scientific perspective and be approved by our regulator, Health Canada.
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Q & As
Is Canadian Blood Services a part of the Red Cross?
No. Canadian Blood Services was created as a result of the contaminated blood incident of the 1980s and 1990s. This incident seriously undermined the confidence of Canadians in blood and blood products.
The decision to create a new national blood authority was consistent with the conclusions of Mr.Justice Krever in his Final Report, Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada, calling for a single, integrated entity responsible and accountable for the safety and security of Canada’s blood supply system.
Canadian Blood Services assumed full responsibility for the Canadian blood system on September 26, 1998.
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Is there a test to detect vCJD?
Many research groups are currently pursuing development of a blood test to detect variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (vCJD); however, there are no tests currently available. While our current vCJD policy will defer many potential healthy donors, we prefer to take a precautionary approach in order to ensure that recipients receive the safest blood and blood products possible.
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Is blood available to absolutely any person living in Canada?
Yes. Canadian Blood Services has the mission of providing a safe, secure, cost-effective, affordable and accessible supply of quality blood, blood products and their alternatives to all Canadians who require them.
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How safe is blood available for transfusion in Canada?
Canada's blood system is among the safest in the world.
Canadian Blood Services has policies and procedures to maintain the safety of blood supply and to meet regulatory requirements. Our donor questionnaire process is our first line of defense in providing a safe and reliable blood source, and has significantly reduced the incidences of positive tests among our donors. In addition to the questionnaire, Canadian Blood Services also tests all donated blood for a variety of infectious diseases.
Although testing is sophisticated, there still exists a brief period after the onset of a viral infection during which early signs of a virus cannot be detected. This period of time is known as the "window period". Advances in testing technology have reduced but not eliminated these window periods. Our current test called NAT (Nucleic Acid Testing) significantly reduces the "window period" or the time between initial infection and when the virus is first detectable. However, a window period still exists.
More information about our screening processes is available here.
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What diseases does Canadian Blood Services test for?
The infectious diseases that we test for are: syphilis, hepatitis B and C, HIV 1 and 2 (the viruses that cause AIDS), Human T-Cell lymphotropic virus HTLV-I and II (the viruses that can cause a rare form of leukemia in adults and chronic nervous system disease) and West Nile Virus.
More information about our testing is available here
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Is it true you have to speak English or French in order to donate blood or bone marrow?
Canadian Blood Services started a language advisory committee in June 2007 to develop a submission to our regulator, Health Canada, to allow American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to accompany deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing donors through the entire blood donation process. This change began on Oct. 20, 2008.
Following the success of this submission, the language advisory committee is now developing a submission to Health Canada to allow other language interpreters to accompany donors throughout the blood donation process. This will be submitted in early 2009.
Meanwhile, Canadian Blood Services' OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, which does not fall under the same Health Canada guidelines as blood donation, has launched a Chinese language initiative. This initiative has translated written materials into simplified and traditional Chinese and will allow interpreters to assist individuals in registering to become potential stem cell donors as well as helping them all the way throughout the post-donation follow-up.
Cantonese and Mandarin were chosen as the first language pilot for OneMatch, since Chinese languages are the third largest mother tongue spoken in Canada, according to Statistics Canada (2006). Based on the success of this initiative, OneMatch will also look at translation services in other languages.
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Are deaf people allowed to donate blood?
Yes. Canadian Blood Services welcomes and encourages people living with hearing impairment to become regular blood donors. In fact, many of our existing donors are deaf, deafening or hard of hearing.
In the case of Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing people, the oral portion of the questionnaire may be completed in written form, as long as the person being interviewed has the ability to read, write and comprehend either of Canada's official languages (English or French). If the donor prefers, a sign language interpreter may assist the donor throughout the donation, including the health screening interview.
Donors who require a sign language interpreter must make a request at the time they book their appointment with Canadian Blood Services. Canadian Blood Services will arrange for an interpreter to accompany the donor throughout their donation at no cost to the donor. To book an appointment, call 1-888-2DONATE (236-6283).
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Is Canadian Blood Services compensating individuals affected by the contaminated blood incident of the ‘80/90s?
No. A number of groups are responsible for the compensation of these victims, who were affected prior to the establishment of Canadian Blood Services. For more information about these groups, please contact us at feedback@blood.ca
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Where does Canadian Blood Services get its funding from?
The Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health provide operational funding to Canadian Blood Services. Budgets include measures to ensure that appropriate arrangements exist to indemnify Canadian Blood Services, its officers and directors and members of advisory bodies for uninsured liabilities and approved borrowing, and to maintain the capacity within Canadian Blood Services to respond in a timely manner to health and safety emergencies.
The Federal/Provincial/Territorial Memorandum of Understanding provides that the Members are responsible for the approval of Business Plans submitted by the Board of Directors.
Canadian Blood Services receives funding from Members for: (1) the Blood Operations program, (2) the Fractionated Products program and (3) the captive insurance company. Funding for the Blood Operations program is mainly based on the number of units of red blood cells shipped to each province and territory. Funding for the Fractionated Products program is based on the actual quantity of each product used. The budgets and payment schedules for the Blood Operations and Fractionated Products programs for each province and territory are based on budgeted volumes and adjusted at year-end to reflect actual volumes.
The captive insurance company (CBSI) offers coverage of liability related to the ownership, management and operation of the blood system by and for Canadian Blood Services and all operations and incidental services. Additionally, Canadian Blood Services has an excess captive insurer (CBSE), which covers claims in excess of the primary policy. CBSE commenced functioning on September 28, 2006. The chair of both CBSI and CBSE is Mr. Fred Hyndman.
Funding for the captive insurance company is based on the population in each province and territory obtained from the latest available census data from Statistics Canada.
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What happens if there is not enough blood? Is it possible to import it from other organizations?
Canadian Blood Services has managed to meet the demand for blood components from Canadian hospitals, without having to import product from outside of Canada. Héma-Québec is responsible for the collection and distribution of blood components in Quebec; however, both Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec have an arrangement to share product should demand exceed supply within Canada. Other options to improve our collection numbers would be to put out an appeal, increase the number of clinics we offer, extend clinic hours, and/or increase the amount of advertising we do to the public.
Throughout the year, there are times during which both the Canadian Blood Services and the hospitals' inventory of certain blood components may get low. While the inventory levels may be sufficient to cope with "normal" daily demand, it could leave the blood system in a fragile condition should an emergency arise. With that in mind, we are constantly challenged to keep inventory levels sufficiently high to cope with such situations.
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Is all plasma that Canadian Blood Services distributes to hospitals collected from Canadian donors?
No, not all plasma used in Canadian hospitals comes solely from Canadian donors. To understand why this is, we will first explain how plasma is manufactured and used.
Plasma can be used without further manufacturing in the treatment of patients, or it can be sent for fractionation where it is manufactured into two specialized products (albumin and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Currently, about 75 per cent of albumin and about 25 per cent of IVIG used in Canadian hospitals is manufactured from plasma donated by Canadian Blood Services donors. The remaining albumin and IVIG used comes from plasma collected commercially in the United States. Other products known as "recombinant" proteins are produced using genetically engineered cells.
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Do you export blood to other countries?
Canadian Blood Services’ mission is to ensure that all Canadians in need have access to blood, blood products and their alternatives. In addition to people living in Canada, we regularly send blood to our soldiers overseas.
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Why don’t more people donate blood?
Currently, Canadian blood donors are amongst the most loyal in the world, leading the way in donor frequency and retention. That being said, only a small percentage of eligible Canadians go past intention to actually donate blood.
There are several reasons why eligible blood donors may choose not to donate blood, including:
| Why people may not donate blood
| Reality
|
| Fear of needles or that donating blood will hurt
| Some people may get a small bruise, some redness or moderate pain at the needle site. However, for most people, donating blood does not hurt.
|
| Too busy/not enough time |
It only takes about one hour to donate blood, which includes the screening process and actual donation. |
| Fear of contracting an infectious disease while donating blood |
Donating blood in Canada is completely safe. You cannot get AIDS or any other transmissible disease by donating blood in Canada. At Canadian Blood Services, trained personnel use only new, sterile needles for each donation. |
| Mistakenly thinking they are not eligible to donate blood |
Many people will self-diagnose that they are not able to donate blood instead of first checking with a nurse at one of our donor clinics. |
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What is Canadian Blood Services doing to increase the number of blood donors?
While keeping our existing donors engaged, Canadian Blood Services must now enhance efforts to recruit more “lifetime” donors to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
An aging population is a double challenge for Canadian Blood Services. First, as large percentage of our population gets older, healthcare activity will increase and so will demand for blood and blood products as a consequence. Secondly, a large segment of our most loyal donors are at the age where they will soon move from being donors to users of the blood system.
Canadian Blood Services believes that the majority of Canadians are unaware of the need for blood donors, and would become donors if they were better informed. We are currently working on programs to help translate these potential donors’ good intentions into good actions.
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