Bleeding for Canada: plasma exports from the US to Canada

In the HuffPo:, Peter Jaworski begins his rant about the blood supply with a good line about food:  Commodifying Blood Donation Could Solve Canada's Shortfall

"Many people think blood is special in a way that means it shouldn't be "commodified," or bought and sold on a market. It is a basic human need. It's not like the latest gadget or a pair of shoes; it is to be revered, not remunerated.

"I'm glad we don't think food is special in this way. If we did, imagine how many people would die of starvation, or would suffer from hunger.

This past December, the Ontario legislature preserved the sanctity of the exchange of blood through Bill 21, entitled the "Safeguarding Health Care Integrity Act." Schedule 1 included provisions from Bill 178, the Voluntary Blood Donations Act", which prohibits paying and receiving payment for blood, either directly or indirectly. With this bill, the legislature has made the giving and receiving of blood a sacrament.

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Of course Canadians don't have to pay other Canadians for blood plasma. If you look at the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) administered by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), you find that HTS number 3002100210 stands for Human Blood Plasma, and in 2013 Canada had imports $29,274,584 worth from the U.S., where of course we compensate plasma donors.

HT: Josh Penrod