Hospital Newsletter
In this issue
- Canadian Blood Services sets its most ambitious recruitment goal ever: one million new donors
- Meet the Researcher: Dr. Harinad Maganti
- The lifesaving role of blood transfusion in preterm infants
- New lab leverages Canadian Blood Services research and development expertise with a focus on emerging blood safety initiatives
- Canadian Blood Services and Bayshore Specialty Pharmacy expand home delivery for specialized therapies in Alberta
- National Advisory Committee on blood and blood products update
Canadian Blood Services sets its most ambitious recruitment goal ever: one million new donors
As demand in Canada’s healthcare system intensifies, the need for new blood, plasma, stem cell and organ donors has never been greater. Advancements in clinical care and a growing and aging population means the pressure will only continue to grow. Demand for blood in Canada is projected to increase by nearly 10 per cent over the next five years, while the demand for immunoglobulins, medicine made from plasma, could grow by 50 per cent or more.
Canadian Blood Services is committed to growing a diverse donor base that can match the ongoing and emerging needs of patients with increased resilience.
“There’s been a shift in demand for blood and plasma products internationally and within Canada, yet as of today only 2 per cent of all eligible people in Canada are donating,” says Dr. Graham Sher, Chief Executive Officer at Canadian Blood Services. “There’s a disconnect here and it isn’t sustainable for the future needs of the health system. To get where we need to be, we’ve set an ambitious recruitment goal of one million new donors. Achieving that goal will take collective action — but at a time of growing national pride, Canada’s Lifeline stands as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when Canadians support one another.”
In a recent survey, Canadian Blood Services found that nearly three-quarters of Canadians (71 per cent) said donating blood or plasma was one of the most meaningful ways people can give back to their community and yet this is not translating into action.
To motivate a new generation of donors, Canadian Blood Services is unveiling a new brand platform which asks the question, Who’s Saving Who? Every day, patients across Canada are saved thanks to the generous acts of donors. But donor research and insights have also highlighted that donors get something back too — a sense of achievement, purpose and profound connection to others. The launch video, “I Am Here To Save You,” powerfully sets the platform’s tone through the voices of patients that highlight the impact of giving.
“We’ve never set a recruitment goal like this before. To attract this many new donors, we need to tell a different story. We know that without the donor, there’s no Lifeline. Who’s Saving Who? tells the untold story of what you get when you give,” says Ron Vezina, Vice President, Donor Engagement at Canadian Blood Services. “At a time when so many of us are searching for ways to be part of something that matters, donating is one of the most meaningful ways to find connection. Now is the time for all who are eligible to move off the sidelines and experience what you get when you give.”
Meet the Researcher: Dr. Harinad Maganti
When Dr. Harinad Maganti thinks about his research he considers it a bit like building a house.
“It all starts with one brick,” Dr. Maganti says. “We don't worry about the big picture. We try to build the best brick we can. We lay it the best way. As you lay the bricks properly, you'll be able to build a fantastic wall. Maybe it’s not me who will finish this wall, but I know someone will.”
That frame of mind is how he keeps himself and his team motivated as they attempt to create innovative therapies for some of medicine’s most pernicious problems, including cancer and sickle cell disease.
“The focus of my research is to use blood stem cells to create advanced cell therapies for patients with a multitude of diseases,” Dr. Maganti explains.
Blood stem cells are immature cells that can develop into any cell present in the bloodstream. They are produced by bone marrow, the spongy tissue in the centre of some bones, and are also found in cord blood — the blood left in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born. Many parents donate cord blood for use in lifesaving stem cell transplants, but those who donate to Canadian Blood Services’ cord blood bank may also consent to the use of their donation for research (such as in cases where the quantity of stem cells is insufficient for transplant).
Learn more about how Dr. Maganti’s team is using the blood stem cells in their research.
The lifesaving role of blood transfusion in preterm infants
Mahsa Yazdanbakhsh is a PhD candidate training in the laboratory of Canadian Blood Services’ Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Jason Acker and recipient of Canadian Blood Services’ Graduate Fellowship Program award. Mahsa was the lead author on a basic science article published in the peer reviewed journal Pediatric Research in October 2024. Following publication, this research was also featured in an editorial written by international transfusion experts in the same journal. In this blog post, Mahsa summarizes the work which earned this editorial feature.
Preterm infants (babies born before 32 weeks of gestation) often require red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. While much focus has been placed on determining the right timing and volumes for transfusions, further investigation will help us understand more about other critical aspects, such as the ideal blood product and the impact of donor factors on transfusion outcomes.
Our research team, led by Canadian Blood Services’ senior research scientist, Dr. Jason Acker at the University of Alberta, has been investigating the effects of transfused adult RBCs on preterm infants with the goal of understanding better-matched alternatives for these vulnerable recipients. Working closely with neonatologists and colleagues at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and the University of Calgary, our studies aimed to optimize transfusion practices and improve overall outcomes.
To donate blood in Canada, the minimum age for donors must be 17 years of age or older. However, this can present a developmental mismatch for preterm infants who are the recipients of RBC transfusions from these adult donors. Preterm infants primarily have a fetal version of the hemoglobin (HbF) protein which carries oxygen molecules within the red blood cell. Fetal hemoglobin has a higher affinity (how well hemoglobin binds to and releases oxygen molecules) for oxygen to support oxygen transfer from the mother to the fetus. Following birth, when preterm infants receive adult RBC transfusions, their HbF is replaced by RBCs containing adult hemoglobin (HbA), which has a lower oxygen affinity.
In our study, we explored the impact of adult RBC transfusions on fetal RBC oxygen affinity. By mixing together adult RBCs and umbilical cord blood (UCB) from preterm infants, we measured the concentration-dependent changes in a metric known as “p50”, which is the amount of oxygen required in blood to saturate 50% of hemoglobin. The p50 measurement can indicate how well hemoglobin can bind to and carry oxygen molecules. The better hemoglobin is at binding to oxygen, the lower the p50 value will be.
Keep reading to find out what the study found on our Research, Education, and Discovery Blog.
New lab leverages Canadian Blood Services research and development expertise with a focus on emerging blood safety initiatives
As Canada’s Biological Lifeline, Canadian Blood Services is entrusted with the vital responsibility of providing safe, reliable access to high-quality products and services essential for individuals across the country.
Our network of dedicated researchers and laboratory staff is integral to our ability to fulfil that responsibility, and the announcement of a new Surveillance & Discovery Laboratory is another example of this ongoing commitment to safety and continuous improvement. This lab will enhance capacity to identify and mitigate threats to the blood supply and strengthen public health preparedness for years to come.
At Canadian Blood Services, ‘surveillance’ refers to the ongoing work undertaken to prevent transmissible blood-borne infections by testing blood and monitoring for transmissible disease markers, investigating possible transfusion transmitted infections in blood recipients, and scanning for any new pathogens that may pose a risk to the blood supply.
By bringing together the expertise of a dedicated team of laboratory staff and researchers in a space designed to be flexible and scalable, this lab will boost in-house capacity for surveillance by creating and developing new tests that can help protect the blood system.
The new tests of interest, including nucleic acid tests (NAT), will be important as the habitats and range of biting insects like mosquitoes and ticks that may carry transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases change due to global travel and climate factors.
Keep reading about what this new lab will be doing on our Research, Education, and Discovery Blog.
Canadian Blood Services and Bayshore Specialty Pharmacy Expand Home Delivery for Specialized Therapies in Alberta
On October 30, 2023, Canadian Blood Services partnered with Bayshore Pharmacy in Alberta to launch a home delivery program for plasma protein and related products (PPRP). Initially focused on Hemlibra, the program expanded to include Glassia on March 18, 2024.
About the Products
Hemlibra (emicizumab): Prevents bleeding in patients with hemophilia A by mimicking the function of clotting factor VIII.
Glassia (Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor): Treats alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a genetic condition that can lead to lung disease.
Program Goals
- Reliable home delivery
- Appropriate product use
- Data-driven monitoring
- Regulatory compliance
Impact (as of April 25, 2025)
Hemlibra: 143 of 144 patients enrolled with Bayshore have received at least one delivery
Glassia: 71 of 72 patients enrolled have received at least one delivery including 35 patients who transitioned from Prolastin-C
A Moment of Gratitude
Several patients receiving Glassia through this program have expressed feeling overwhelmed with gratitude, a powerful reminder of the meaningful impact this initiative is having on people’s lives.
Additional Resources
Glassia Access & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Learn how to access Glassia including eligibility, ordering procedures, and patient support.
https://www.blood.ca/en/hospital-services/customer-service/communications/customer-letters (search Glassia)
CBS e-Formulary – Plasma Protein and Related Products (PPRP)
Learn how to access Glassia through the home delivery program, including eligibility, ordering procedures, and patient support.
https://formulary.blood.ca/ (search Glassia)
National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products Update
The National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products (NAC) is an interprovincial medical and technical advisory body which provides professional leadership in assisting, identifying, designing, and implementing cost-effective blood and blood product utilization management initiatives for the optimization of patient care throughout Canada.
New Information
Read the NAC response to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) decision to sunset the Blood Safety Contribution Program (BSCP), including the Transfusion Transmitted Injuries Surveillance System (TTISS) and the Transfusion Errors Surveillance System (TESS).
Confused about when and where to use albumin in children, neonates and adults? Not sure about the alternatives? Need a summary of the evidence? This guideline provides recommendations on when to and when not to use albumin, and explains the rationale.
Updated Recommendations and Statements
NAC Statement on Fibrinogen Concentrate Use in Acquired Hypofibrinogenemia (February 26, 2025)
Interested in learning more about using fibrinogen concentrate in the treatment of acquired hypofibrinogenemia? This statement provides information on the differences between the two major brands of fibrinogen concentrate and the other sources of fibrinogen (including apheresis / frozen plasma, solvent detergent treated plasma and cryoprecipitate), dosing targets and strategies.