Expanding Plasma Donation In Canada Study
Plasma can be donated at some
blood donor clinics—it is a protein-rich liquid in blood that helps other blood
components circulate throughout the body. Plasma is used to treat bleeding
disorders, liver diseases, and many types of cancer. Gay, bisexual and other
men who are having sex with men (gbMSM) cannot donate blood or plasma if they
are sexually active.
New screening questions and
more inclusive eligibility criteria are being explored that could be used to
allow some sexually active gbMSM to donate. We aim to explore the
acceptability of additional screening questions among gbMSM, identify any
further barriers to donating plasma, and develop supports to address these
barriers.
For more information and updates on this project, see details in the infographics below, on our study website, or connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, or email plasma@ohri.ca for more information on other opportunities to get involved.

We believe that
gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men should be involved in the
conversation as Canada moves to different screening approaches. Our research is
designed to engage the voices and experiences of gay, bisexual and other men
having sex with men at every step of the project.

Project Team
- PIs: Justin Presseau, Mindy Goldman
- Co-Is: Paul MacPherson, Sheila O'Brien, Joanne Otis, Marc Germain, Dana Devine, Don Lapierre, Andrew Rosser, Elisabeth Vesnaver, Terrie Butler-Foster, Nolan Hill
- London Local Advisory Group: Taim Bilal Al-Bakri, Broderic Clement-Thorne, Wil Osbourne-Sorrell, Richard MacDonagh, Taylor Randall, Kyle Rubini
- Calgary Local Advisory Group: William Bridel, Andrew Clapperton, Mark Greaves, Maximillian Labrecque, Glenndl Miguel, Shane Orvis, Marco Reid
- Project coordinator: Emily Gibson
Funded by: Health Canada and Canadian Blood Services