PRIVACY NOTICE FOR CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES’ CORD BLOOD BANK
Our Commitment to Privacy
At Canadian Blood Services we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of personal information in our possession. This Notice explains how Canadian Blood Services collects, uses, retains and discloses the personal information it collects about cord blood donors and their mothers.
What Personal Information Do We Collect?
Canadian Blood Services may collect and retain the following personal information about you and your baby when you make, or attempt to make, a cord blood donation:
- Contact information such as your name, address and telephone number;
- Date of birth for you and your baby;
- Responses to pregnancy, travel, social and medical history questions;
- Responses to questions about your donation history with Canadian Blood Services;
- Name and contact information for your health care providers;
- Health assessments and other relevant medical information from your physician and your hospital records;
- Test results from your blood samples and the cord blood donation;
- Information about your ineligibility to donate, if applicable.
How Do We Use Your Personal Information?
Canadian Blood Services collects and retains your and your baby’s personal information so that we may assess your eligibility to donate cord blood and to ensure the safety of blood and blood products for recipients. Your personal information may also be used to:
- Assess whether the cord blood donation is a suitable match for a patient in need of a transplant;
- Contact you after delivery to enquire about your baby’s health;
- Consult your physician if you report problems with your or your baby’s health which may affect the cord blood;
- Provide you with test results or to request further tests, if required;
- Make our programs better and more efficient, including offering opportunities to provide feedback;
- Access your test results in the event of accidental contact with your blood;
- Contact you regarding new and existing programs, services, donor events and promotions;
- Train employees;
- Contact you for the purpose of fundraising. If you wish to be removed from our fundraising contact list, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) and ask for our National Fundraising Office.
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
- Fulfill any other purposes as permitted or prescribed by law.
Who Do We Share Your Personal Information With?
Your and your baby’s personal information may be shared with the following:
- Canadian transplant centres and international stem cell registries searching for stem cells for patients in need. We will only refer to you or your baby using a unique donor number when personal information is disclosed;
- Your health care provider to report potential health risks;
- Third party laboratories to perform screening tests on your baby’s cord blood;
- Public health authorities in the case of positive transmissible disease test results;
- Other Canadian blood operators to ensure the safety of the entire blood system;
- Researchers provided the research has been approved by an independent research ethics board and meets legal and regulatory requirements;
- Auditors from Canadian Blood Services’ accreditation and regulatory bodies;
- Others as permitted or required by law.
Withdrawing Your Consent from Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank
You may withdraw your consent to participate in Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank at any time. Your withdrawal must be made in writing by submitting a Withdrawal of Consent to Participate in the Canadian Blood Services Cord Blood Bank form. The form may be obtained by contacting Canadian Blood Services’ National Contact Centre at 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
All personal information collected up to the date of your withdrawal will be retained by Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank, but no further personal information about you or your baby will be collected. Your and your baby’s personal information will no longer be used in searches for patients in need.
How Do We Protect Your Personal Information?
Access to your personal information is restricted to Canadian Blood Services staff who need access to this information to perform their jobs. All Canadian Blood Services employees sign confidentiality agreements.
Canadian Blood Services may use third party service providers to perform services such as donor recruitment and communication. In some cases, our service providers may process or store data outside of Canada. These service providers are contractually obligated to implement appropriate safeguards to protect personal information and to use the personal information to which they have access for the purposes of providing these services for, or on behalf of, Canadian Blood Services.
Accessing or Correcting your Personal Information
To request access to the personal information Canadian Blood Services retains about you and your baby, please visit our Access to Information page at www.blood.ca
Canadian Blood Services offers an online Change Your Address form for revising your contact information and at any time you may update your contact information or contact preferences by calling 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
1000106731 | 2018-12-03
