We are proud to be part Health Canada approved clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 convalescent plasma as a possible treatment option for patients with the virus. We announced our involvement in April 2020.

Scientists from our Centre for Innovation are part of a group of clinical investigators, including 11 research teams and more than 50 hospitals, that is conducting the clinical trials.

With Health Canada’s approval of our clinical trial application, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec are responsible for supplying convalescent plasma to Canadian physicians caring for patients with the virus in the context of the clinical trials. As the national blood operator, we have the expertise and the infrastructure necessary to safely collect, prepare and distribute convalescent plasma for use in trials of this size and scope.

Well-designed clinical trials, like the ones we are involved with, will help provide the information necessary to prove whether convalescent plasma is a safe and effective treatment. It will be an important contribution to research on a global scale that could help patients in Canada and around the world.