Inside the fight to stop paid plasma

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Published on Tuesday, 17 May 2016 16:15

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NationBuilder r1 Paov --

Last week was pivotal in the fight to protect our public blood supply.

After hearing that a private company plans to set up paid plasma clinics in B.C., we teamed up with the BC Chapter of the Canadian Hemophilia Society and BloodWatch.org to bring the call for a BC ban on pay-for-blood and plasma directly to government and BC communities.

We went to the Legislature with families who were impacted by the tainted blood tragedy and met with elected officials.

We also held public town halls in five BC communities.

Our call generated extensive media coverage, and more importantly, ramped up... political and public pressure on the government to act.

It was heartening to be in the Legislature when Opposition health critic Judy Darcy responded to our call for a ban by tabling a private members bill to stop paid plasma collection in B.C.

But there is more work to do - while Health Minister Terry Lake continues to voice support for the paid plasma clinics, not everyone in his caucus is of the same mind, and, there’s a chance Terry Lake will not be health minister after the next cabinet shuffle.

In the coming months, we need to keep pressure on all MLAs to make sure supporting paid plasma is an impossible stance for BC's health minister.

The public won a ban on pay-for-blood and plasma in Ontario thanks to years of dogged advocacy. We can do the same here in B.C.

Check out some of last week’s coverage here:

• CBC News - “Advocate for tainted blood victims says private blood services would make Canadians less safe” http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/private-blood-bc-1.3574639

• Global TV - http://globalnews.ca/news/2692753/protesters-rally-for-ban-on-paid-blood-and-plasma-donations-in-victoria/

• CTV Victoria - http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/groups-urge-b-c-to-follow-ontario-quebec-by-banning-pay-for-plasma-clinics-1.2896511

• Chek TV - http://www.cheknews.ca/blood-activists-ask-b-c-government-to-ban-paying-for-blood-plasma-174146/

• Radio-Canada - http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/colombie-britannique/2016/05/10/008-plasma-sang-don-judy-darcy-politique-victoria-bloodwatch-hemophilia-society.shtml

• The Canadian Press - http://www.theprovince.com/health/plasma+clinics+groups+urge+lawmakers/11910165/story.html

• The Province - “Pay-for-plasma ban sought”

• Times Colonist - “Group joins NDP in call to ban pay-for-plasma clinics in B.C”

• Kamloops This Week - http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/blood-its-in-you-to-get-paid/

• The News, Abbotsford & Mission - http://www.abbynews.com/community/378441111.html

• Kelowna Capital News - http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/378454051.html

• The News, Abbotsford & Mission - http://www.abbynews.com/national/vancouver/378871761.html

• Parksville-Qualicum News - http://www.pqbnews.com/opinion/letters/379195741.html

We were also featured on C-FAX1070 Radio Victoria, CBC All Points West, Radio West, On the Coast, Daybreak South, BC Almanac, Daybreak Kamloops, Roundhouse Radio Vancouver, Island Radio Parksville, The Q - Victoria, and Kamloops Radio NL.

British Columbia Health Coalition · 3102 Main St, 302, Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territories, BC V5T 3G7, Canada
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