PRIVACY NOTICE FOR CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES’ CORD BLOOD BANK
At Canadian Blood Services we are committed to protecting your personal information. This notice explains how we collect, use and disclose the personal information we collect from blood (e.g., whole blood, plasma, platelets) donors and prospective donors, participants in the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry (“Stem Cell Registry”) and participants in the Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank (“Cord Blood Bank”). If you are a cord blood donor, the following includes your baby’s personal information, as applicable.
What personal information we collect
Canadian Blood Services may collect the following personal information:
- Contact and demographic information, including contact information for your healthcare provider, as applicable;
- Responses to social and health questions;
- Post-donation information and your donation history, including information pertaining to your ineligibility to donate, if applicable;
- Test results from your blood, cord blood or buccal swabs, as applicable. These test results may include those for blood groups, including human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing, and transmissible infection markers; and
- Health information from you or your healthcare provider, as required.
How we use your personal information
Canadian Blood Services uses your personal information to assess your eligibility to participate in Canadian Blood Services’ donation programs, to assess and match your compatibility with patients in need, and to ensure the quality and safety of blood, blood products, cord blood and stem cells. Your personal information may also be used to:
- Contact you if you are identified as a potential match for a patient, as applicable;
- Send you a buccal swab kit, if required;
- Contact you about relevant health matters, as applicable;
- Contact your healthcare provider, as required;
- Contact you regarding other opportunities to participate in our programs;
- Contact you in the event of blood shortages;
- Make our programs better and more efficient, to educate and train staff and others;
- Manage your accounts and respond to your inquiries;
- Honour you at Canadian Blood Services award ceremonies and to recognize your contributions as a donor or participant;
- Enable your participation in contests, promotions, surveys, and chats;
- De-identify your personal information: de-identification is the process of removing personal identifiers such as name, address, and phone number;
- Perform research that has been ethically approved;
- Maintain the safety of our workplace;
- Access your test results in the event of accidental contact with your donation or samples, as applicable;
- Contact you about opportunities to participate in research;
- Contact you for fundraising purposes. If you wish to be removed from our fundraising contact list, please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1.888.236.6283);
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements; and
- Other purposes as permitted or required by law or for other reasonable purposes.
- Cord Blood Bank participants only: contact you after delivery to inquire about your baby’s health.
Canadian Blood Services does not sell your personal information.
Who we share your personal information with
Your personal information may be shared with:
- Public health authorities;
- Other Canadian blood operators to ensure the safety of the blood supply system;
- Your healthcare provider regarding relevant health matters, as applicable;
- Canadian hospitals to coordinate your donation, as applicable;
- Canadian hospitals and registries, and international registries, as applicable, for matching purposes. We will only refer to you using a unique identifier when information is disclosed;
- Researchers, provided the research has been ethically approved and meets legal and regulatory requirements;
- Auditors from Canadian Blood Services’ accreditation and regulatory bodies; and
- Others as permitted or required by law.
- Stem Cell Registry participants only: if you are identified as a potential match for a patient and we are unable to locate you, your contact information and date of birth will be disclosed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police so they can attempt to locate you.
Protecting Your Personal Information
Access to your personal information is limited to those who need access to it to perform their specific duties in relation to Canadian Blood Services. We may use third party service providers, including service providers outside of Canada. In some cases, those service providers may collect your personal information directly from you and your personal information may be subject to their privacy policies. All providers are contractually obligated to protect your personal information and to only collect, use and disclose the personal information they require for the purposes of providing these services for, or on behalf of, Canadian Blood Services.
Accessing or Correcting Your Personal Information
To access or request corrections to your personal information, please visit our Privacy/Legal page at 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 through: calling 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) Email: feedback@blood.ca or our online chat feature on www.blood.ca
How to Contact Us
For questions or concerns about this notice, please contact Canadian Blood Services Privacy and Compliance: Toll Free: 1.877.262.9191 Email: privacy@blood.ca.
If you feel your concerns have not been addressed by Canadian Blood Services, you have the right to contact your provincial Information & Privacy Commissioner or Ombudsman.
