Want Fast Cash? Paid Blood Donations Come to Canada
For many people, fast cash is a necessity. When the budget is tight, the idea of easy money is appealing, whether trying to sell stuff on craigslist, pick up an extra shift at work, or do an odd job.
Now Canadians can add another money source to the list: Paid blood donations.
Companies Start Paying for Blood Plasma Donations
In the United States, blood donors have long been paid for blood donations for the purpose of extracting plasma. South of the border, consumers can get between $25 and $50 per donation — and can go twice in a seven day period. If you are getting $50 for a plasma donation, and you go twice a week, that’s $400 a month. Not bad for fast cash.
Now, a similar model is available in Canada. According to CBC, there are two companies in Canada that now offer payment for blood donations. The two companies are Canadian Plasma Resources in Toronto and CanGene Plasma in Winnipeg. For now, it looks as though access to this source of fast cash is limited. (The companies did not disclose what they pay for blood donations.)
Arguments against Paid Blood Donations
Canada has a long history of unpaid blood donations, especially since a scandal related to contaminated blood supply in 1997 pushed toward unpaid donations. There are a number of concerns that being paid for blood donations might encourage some donors to lie on questionnaires. Altruistic donors are less likely, the thinking goes, to give contaminated blood. Once donors are paid, though, it can be tempting for them to fudge on the application in the hopes of getting easy money.
However, there continues to be a big demand for blood plasma. The CBC story points out that Canadian hospitals use a lot drug products that are derived from blood plasma. With the increased demand, volunteers just aren’t cutting it in terms of keeping up with demand, which is why some companies find it worthwhile to offer payments to willing donors.
Selling Yourself
Blood plasma is just one way that you can sell yourself. There have been instances of consumers selling their hair to doll makers on eBay, and in the United States its not uncommon to find women willing to be surrogates, or to have their eggs harvested for extra cash. From donating bone marrow to donating sperm, there is money to be made in the United States by those who aren’t too concerned about selling bits of themselves. While outright organ selling remains a no-no, there are plenty of other legal ways to make money off your body.
While it’s something that isn’t particularly widespread in Canada right now, the success of the paid blood donation companies might point to more chances to sell these types of body parts. And the ability to use yourself as a renewable resource can be tempting to some, especially those who seem to fall short regularly.
What do you think? Do you like the idea of paid blood donation in Canada? Would you consider selling parts of yourself to make some quick cash?
Comments
This is so sad. I manage to donate blood once or twice year because I feel it is my duty as a reasonably healthy person to help people when they are most in need.
There are a lot of very personal questions that must be answered very truthfully with each donation. There is also a way to still give blood but have your donation kept out of the blood supply without anyone knowing if you choose.
How honest will people be who want money and will do anything to get it? I am concerned for the safety of our blood supply.
I think this is a great idea, how many people do you know that donate blood on a regular consistent basis? I donate blood as it is but I’d be much more motivated to go more frequently if I were to receive a simple $20 for my offering. I’m not sure what age they allow children to give blood. I know for young people that’d be an easy motivator.
Pathetic I have to think about selling my blood to pay my medication bills- CANADIANS NEED A GREEN NEW DEAL NOW! all these people AGREE- min wage and lowley salery jobs are not what we should have to settle for
I would like to sell my blood as I need the extra money. I wish centers in Ontario, Canada. would set it up.
So many of us are having a hard time keeping a float. I think it would be a great idea for people to make a few extra dollars especially for ppl that every penny counts. At the moment my family is stressing big time and if this was available even 50$ right now would help so mmuch.
I get how it’s tricky but I don’t see how a trial period can’t be tested.
I was unemployable for some time and the worst thing about that life was not being able to give back. theirs long periods where everywhere you go you have to wait a few days to a week before anything gets done. I could see this as a great trade off and the opportunity to give back to the community and being able to help myself as well in the process.
Janet says:
Why doesn’t Canada pay for blood donation, like the USA? What is the logic behind that. I think it is a good idea, and other locations should be opened up, not just in Winnipeg and Toronto.
The Chretien Government at the time was responsible for buying blood from the U.S.A. which was contaminated with H.I.V. Subsequently the Red Cross was re-branded as Canadian Blood Services. I don’t see a problem with paying Canadian donor’s for their blood and having transparency as to where this blood came from!
Canada purchases plasma from the United States around I believe around 80% of what is required from the United States. As a blood donor I’m all for paying for plasma. Not paying Canadians for plasma is just a work around for people, to feeling good or better than those south of the border who are supplying us plasma and are getting paid.
It would be like saying we don’t support blood diamonds and so don’t buy African diamonds though we buy from a European company who acquires their diamonds from Africa. You still have dirt on your hands just not directly.
The second belief is people of lower statue will be selling their blood for drugs. Which is absolutely not happening as we need clean product.
I’m a happy blood donor and if paying some one $50 gets us more donors pay away.
First of all plasma and blood donations are not the same. Plasma donations can be done more often, as the recovery is faster. Blood donation is – in the countries I know of – strictly unpaid, and under government overwatch. Plasma collected by for profit companies, and donors usually get paid.
The problem with paid plasma donation is, that it taxes the body. While it seams similar to selling hair, as it grows anyway, in reality removing blood plasma has a recovery cost that is hard to estimate. So it’s more like a loan than a source of income.
$30 or $50 (these are the prices I found, 30 for the week’s first donation, 50 for the second, if you get around to do it) sound like a good reward for donating some plasma. But if one calculates the time it takes to donate, the time lost because of fatigue after donation, the extra nutrition needed to replenish your blood plasma, it will be a shitty hourly wage.
The above comments against paid plasma donations are ridiculous. Of course this is a great way to make some extra money. I would do it no problem. It’s not a waste of time or resources at all. Your body is capable of making the plasma and you need to make sure you aren’t going more than is safe. We just need to make sure it’s not going to be like the Mexico and U.S. border issue with people going there multiple times a week or month to donate. I like our regulation here in Canada in that respect, but not overregulation that we see now in terms of banning all sale of our blood, etc.
I would love to see this come to Toronto and elsewhere in Canada.
Canadian blood banks should have an option whether to pay for blood BUT I see the thinking of not paying for blood as drug addicts and contaminated blood will become too frequent and we all know that drug abusers will lie in order to get cash………..now if there is a cost effective way of cleaning the blood then definitely we should be getting paid at least $20..
I would love to donate whole blood for free, but unfortunately I can’t.
I have Sickle Cell Anemia and Canadian Blood Services says that my blood cells clog their filters. They can’t use my blood cells.
My PLASMA on the other hand is perfectly healthy.
If I can’t donate whole blood for free, then I would happily sell some plasma in the hopes that can do some good.