On the 20th anniversary of Canada's tainted blood inquiry, documents reveal the federal government worked with private pharmaceutical industry to undermine Krever's landmark recommendations

PRESS RELEASE On the 20th anniversary of Canada's tainted blood inquiry, documents reveal the federal government worked with private pharmaceutical industry to undermine Krever's landmark recommendations

Tuesday November 21, 2017 (OTTAWA) - On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Krever Inquiry into the tainted blood scandal, parliamentarians, health advocates and health professionals gathered in Ottawa to call on the Trudeau government to uphold the landmark Krever Inquiry and rescind licenses granted to private, for-profit blood collection clinics that are selling Canadian blood abroad. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request* implicate Health Canada in working with the private blood broker's unregistered lobbyist for years in the lead up to obtaining operating licenses, despite pan-Canadian opposition. The controversial private clinics were banned from operating in Ontario and Alberta to protect the blood supply.   "These documents demonstrate a wanton disregard for the security of the Canadian blood supply. It is alarming that a lobbyist and the private pharmaceutical industry would be given an all access pass to make policy decisions on behalf of the Canadian public," said Kat Lanteigne, Executive Director and CoFounder of BloodWatch. "Prime Minister Trudeau must step in and direct Health Canada to rescind licenses granted to Canadian Plasma Resources immediately." Canadian Blood Services (CBS), the public agency created in the wake of the Krever Inquiry, reported a decline in voluntary donors where the first private clinic opened in Saskatoon. CBS has issued multiple warnings to Health Canada and provincial governments to end support for the private collectors, citing a major risk to the security of Canada's blood supply. "In New Brunswick, we've witnessed first-hand how private blood brokers threaten our fragile blood system," said Paula Doucet, President of the New Brunswick Nurses Union. "Without any public consultation, Health Canada licensed a for-profit clinic in Moncton that is located close to the University, competing directly with our public system for the next generation of blood donors."  There are plans to open a third private clinic in Saint John, N.B., with more expansion plans for Manitoba, Nova Scotia and B.C. "The introduction of private, for-profit plasma collection sites is threatening CBS' ability to collect enough plasma to meet Canadian need," said Adrienne Silnicki, National Director, Policy and Advocacy, Canadian Health Coalition. "The federal Health Minister must support our public blood collector and reject those trying to profit off the blood of Canadians." BloodWatch is calling for an official apology from the Prime Minister to those who received tainted blood, federal recognition of November 26 as the day the Krever Report was tabled in the House of Commons and immediate action to rescind the licenses of all for-profit blood clinics. An estimated 8,000 lives have been lost due to Canada's tainted blood tragedy. -30-

For further information please contact:  Adrienne Silnicki, National Director, Policy and Advocacy: (613) 402-6793, asilnicki@healthcoalition.ca Lauren Snowball,Communications Officer, CFNU: (613) 868-5702 Kat Lanteigne, Executive Director and CoFounder, BloodWatch: (647) 272-7381  Paula Doucet, President, New Brunswick Nurses Union: (506) 543-2255 *For access to the documents obtained through the Freedom of Information request, please email info@bloodwatch.org

The Canadian Health Coalition is a public advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and improvement of Medicare. You can learn more about our work at healthcoalition.ca.  Facebook: CanadianHealthCoalition | Twitter: @healthcoalition ______________________________________________________________

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE Alors que l'Enquête sur le scandale du sang contaminé au Canada fête ses 20 ans, des documents révèlent que le gouvernement fédéral a collaboré avec l'industrie pharmaceutique privée et est allé à l'encontre des recommandations charnières du rapport Krever

Mardi, 21 novembre 2017 (OTTAWA) - À la veille du 20e anniversaire de l'Enquête Krever sur le scandale du sang contaminé, des parlementaires, des défenseurs des soins de santé et des professionnels de la santé se sont rendus à Ottawa pour demander au gouvernement Trudeau de respecter les recommandations de l'Enquête Krever, et de retirer les permis accordés aux cliniques privées à but lucratif de collecte de sang, qui vendent le sang canadien à l'étranger. Des documents obtenus dans le cadre d'une demande d'accès à l'information* indiquent que, depuis des années, Santé Canada a collaboré avec des lobbyistes non enregistrés du secteur des cliniques privées de collecte de sang avant de leur accorder des permis, et cela malgré l'opposition manifestée dans tout le pays. Ces cliniques privées controversées ont été interdites en Ontario et en Alberta afin de protéger nos réserves en sang.   « Ces documents témoignent d'une insouciance totale envers la sécurité des réserves de sang du Canada. C'est alarmant de constater qu'on puisse donner à des lobbyistes et à l'industrie pharmaceutique privée le pouvoir de prendre des décisions stratégiques au nom de la population canadienne », souligne Kat Lanteigne, directrice générale et co-fondatrice de BloodWatch. « Le premier ministre Trudeau doit intervenir et ordonner à Santé Canada de retirer immédiatement les permis accordés à Canadian Plasma Resources. » La Société canadienne du sang (SCS), agence publique créée dans la foulée de l'Enquête Krever, fait état d'un déclin du nombre de donneurs volontaires à Saskatoon où la première clinique privée a ouvert ses portes. Plusieurs fois, la SCS a mis en garde Santé Canada et les gouvernements provinciaux, et leur a demandé de cesser leur appui aux cliniques privées de collecte du sang, précisant le risque important à la sécurité des réserves de sang du Canada. « Au Nouveau-Brunswick, nous sommes directement témoins de la menace, engendrée par les compagnies privées de collecte de sang, à notre système fragile de collecte de sang », souligne Paula Doucet, présidente du Syndicat des infirmières et infirmiers du Nouveau-Brunswick. « Sans consultations publiques, Santé Canada a accordé un permis à une compagnie privée qui a ouvert ses portes à Moncton, près de l'Université, et qui est en concurrence directe avec notre système public pour recruter la prochaine génération de donneurs de sang. » On prévoit ouvrir une troisième clinique privée à Saint-Jean (N.-B.), ainsi que d'autres au Manitoba, en Nouvelle-Écosse et en Colombie-Britannique. « L'ouverture de cliniques privées à but lucratif rémunérant les donneurs de plasma menace la capacité de la SCS de recueillir suffisamment de plasma pour répondre aux besoins de la population canadienne », précise Adrienne Silnicki, directrice nationale, politiques et défenses des droits, Coalition canadienne de la santé. « La ministre fédérale de la Santé doit donner son appui au système public de collecte du sang, et rejeter ceux qui essaient de faire des profits avec le sang des personnes du Canada. » BloodWatch demande au premier ministre de s'excuser officiellement auprès des personnes ayant reçu du sang contaminé, de reconnaître le 26 novembre comme la journée du dépôt du Rapport Krever à la Chambre des communes, et d'agir immédiatement pour retirer les permis accordés à toutes les cliniques privées à but lucratif de collecte de sang. On estime à 8 000 le nombre de vies perdues au Canada en raison de la tragédie du sang contaminé. -30-

Pour en savoir davantage, communiquez avec :  Adrienne Silnicki, directrice nationale, politiques et défense des droits, Coalition canadienne de la santé, 613-402-6793  Lauren Snowball,agente des communications, Fédération canadienne des syndicats d'infirmières et d'infirmiers, 613-868-5702 Kat Lanteigne, directrice générale et co-fondatrice de BloodWatch, 647-272-7381 Paula Doucet, présidente, Syndicat des infirmières et infirmiers du Nouveau-Brunswick, 506-543-2255 *Pour consulter les documents obtenus dans le cadre d'une demande d'accès à l'information, envoyez un courriel à info@bloodwatch.org

La Coalition canadienne de la santé est une organisation publique de défense des droits qui lutte pour préserver et améliorer le régime public d'assurance-maladie. Pour en savoir davantage sur notre travail : coalitionsanté.ca.  Facebook: Coalition canadienne de la santé  | Twitter: @coalitionsante

Everyday Living® ~ Always Choose Organic !

The Gluten Free Bar Launches 'Spot the GFB Bear' Contest To Coincide With New Packaging Launch

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Nov., 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The GFB: Gluten Free Bar (GFB), a leading brand for fun and flavorful gluten-free snacks, is challenging fans today to go out into the wild and "Spot the GFB Bear" in its natural habitat at their local grocery and health food store. Consumers spotting the new GFB bear are encouraged to snap a photo with the new bear packaging, tag GFB on social media, and use the hashtag #WildGFBear to enter to win a month's supply of GFB products.

GFB fans can spot the bear at select locations today through November 20. The contest coincides with the announcement of GFB's revamped packaging featuring its new hand drawn bear and colorful design. The new packaging begins rolling out on GFB Bars across the U.S. this month. The remaining GFB products, including Bites and Power Breakfast, will receive a fresh new look later in 2018.
"The Gluten Free Bear has actually been part of our brand for several years, and incorporating him into more of our packaging brings an element of fun to our products that we felt was missing," said Elliott Rader, co-founder and partner at GFB. "We know that many consumers still equate 'gluten-free' with 'tastes bad.' While there are a lot of great things about our snacks, we pride ourselves on making products that taste amazing and we want consumers to know that. After all, eating something that tastes amazing and is better-for-you, should be a fun part of your day. The Gluten Free Bear represents that fun and flavorful component and we let our certifications and ingredients speak to the quality and nutritional aspect of our products."
The GFB specializes in better-for-you, gluten-free snacks, and the product recipes will remain the same throughout the packaging revamp.
"We are simply updating the first impression of our product to more closely match what we believe in and our culture," said Marshall Rader, co-founder and partner at GFB. "Our consumers will have the same product experience they have come to love just with an enhanced look. We think launching the contest is a fun way to show off our new packaging and to engage GFB fans. We are excited to see where our bear will be spotted – don't forget this is a roll-out so you may have to dig through bear imposters – to spot him!"
Guidelines for the "Spot the GFB Bear" contest include:

• One entry per social media account per day
• Entries must include the hashtag #WildGFBear
• All entries must tag @theGFB social properties
• All entries must be submitted by November 20, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST

The GFB, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a Certified B Corporation dedicated to a triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.
The Gluten Free Bar (GFB)Established in 2010, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Gluten Free Bar (GFB) is a leading brand for fun and flavorful gluten-free snacks in the United States and Europe. The company offers health conscious consumers delicious snack varieties that are non-GMO, Certified Vegan, soy-free, dairy-free and Certified Gluten-Free. The Certified B Corporation is known for its sustainable, earth-friendly manner of production. For more information about GFB, please visit www.theglutenfreebar.com.

SOURCE The Gluten Free Bar (GFB)

CONTACT: Megan McCarl, mmccarl@lambert.com, 616-233-0500

Tick-Tock, Change Your Clock!

On November 5, we are turning our clocks back one hour and enjoying that extra hour of sleep!