The national blood monitoring program, born out of a dark chapter in Canadian healthcare history, is facing its end despite strong opposition from health experts and advocacy groups. Terri-Lynn Langdon, who depends on safe blood products due to a bleeding disorder, voices concerns over the potential risks posed by the program’s discontinuation.
While blood is routinely screened before transfusions, hemovigilance plays a crucial role in collecting data to detect transfusion-related injuries or errors. The Blood Safety Contribution Program (BSCP) serves as a national database tracking adverse transfusion effects reported by provinces and territories across the country.
Established in the aftermath of the tainted blood scandal in the 1980s, the BSCP was a response to the need for a vigilant system to prevent new pathogens from entering the blood supply. However, the recent decision by the Public Health Agency of Canada to phase out the program by March 2026 has sparked concerns among experts like David Page, who fear the loss of a national monitoring mechanism could overlook emerging trends in blood safety.
Despite assurances from health authorities that existing safeguards are sufficient, critics argue that the BSCP’s closure could weaken Canada’s blood safety monitoring, especially given past funding cuts to the program. The Canadian Society for Transfusion Medicine (CSTM) and other stakeholders are urging for a reevaluation of the decision, emphasizing the importance of a well-funded national hemovigilance system.
In response to the backlash, PHAC has announced plans for a national conference on hemovigilance in early 2026, aiming to engage stakeholders in discussions about the future of blood safety monitoring post-BSCP. However, advocates like Langdon are steadfast in their call to preserve the program, emphasizing the critical role it plays in ensuring a safe blood supply for all Canadians.
Keyphrase: Blood Safety Contribution Program