Canada Faces Calls to Reopen Probe Into Plasma Donor Death

Patient advocates in Canada are calling for a new investigation into the death of Rodiyat Alabede, a 22-year-old international student who died in October 2025 shortly after donating plasma at a Grifols facility in Winnipeg. The push follows allegations of medical discrepancies between an autopsy completed shortly after her death and a medical summary prepared by Health Canada dated 27 March.

Campaigners say the case raises broader questions about safety protocols and staff training at plasma donation sites.

Health Canada previously said its initial investigation found no link between the plasma donation and Alabede’s death. Advocates representing her family argue that the autopsy found cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart, and said the condition would have put major strain on her body during donation. They said it remains unclear whether she was properly screened and whether staff responded appropriately during the procedure.

Advocates also alleged Health Canada’s later medical summary did not align with the autopsy findings and accused the agency of failing to fully account for details of the death. Officials have not publicly addressed those specific allegations in the material cited by campaigners.

Inspection reports cite training and procedure gaps

Health Canada inspection reports following Alabede’s death cited deficiencies at the Winnipeg facility, including poor staff training, failures in standard operating procedures, and record-keeping problems, according to campaigners who said they reviewed the documents. The reports also described the company’s reporting as “incomplete” and “inaccurate,” and flagged instances in which plasma collection was not stopped after alarms sounded.

Campaigners said the inspection findings supported their concerns about staff competency in operating donation machines and responding to alerts. They described the circumstances as a “perfect storm” of issues and said the case should be re-examined in light of the inspection results and the alleged discrepancies between documents.

Company response and broader safety concerns

Grifols has said it submitted detailed action plans to Health Canada for immediate implementation and would work with the regulator to meet licensing requirements. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment about campaigners’ claims, according to the source material.

The renewed calls come amid broader scrutiny of plasma donation safety in Canada. Campaigners noted that two other people have died after donating plasma at Canadian clinics under federal investigation. They also said three fatalities have been documented in Canada over the last decade, all in Manitoba.

Advocates said they have written to Prime Minister Mark Carney urging the government to reopen the investigation into Alabede’s death and to suspend Grifols’ license in the interim.

Any decision on whether to revisit the case, and whether regulators take further action on licensing, will be closely watched as Health Canada reviews compliance and safety practices at plasma collection sites.