Canadian Blood Services seeks Health Canada approval to introduce new screening test for malaria

On June 11, 2026, Canadian Blood Services made a regulatory submission to Health Canada to introduce a new malaria nucleic acid test (NAT) into its blood donor screening process. This test can identify very low levels of malaria parasites in a person’s blood.

If approved, malaria NAT will remove certain longstanding barriers to blood donation for individuals who have previously had — and fully recovered from — a malaria infection. This approach will also shorten or eliminate donation waiting periods for those who have recently lived in regions where malaria is common.  

Current screening relies heavily on donor eligibility questions and waiting periods, as there was no test available in Canada sensitive enough to detect low levels of malaria parasites in donated blood. Unfortunately, this has prevented many healthy individuals from donating.  

While malaria can affect anyone, it’s most commonly associated with living in tropical or subtropical areas of Asia, Africa and Central and South America. Black and South Asian communities in Canada are the most significantly impacted by these existing practices. 

Increasing donor participation among Black communities is particularly important for people who live with sickle cell disease, a genetic condition that most commonly affects people of African and Caribbean heritage. Many patients with sickle cell disease require regular blood transfusions and often rely on blood from donors with similar genetic ancestry for the best health outcomes.  

Introducing malaria NAT will reduce barriers to blood donation, allowing more individuals to help grow and diversify the donor base, and ensure every patient in Canada continues to be matched with the life-saving product they need, when they need it. 

About malaria nucleic acid testing (NAT)

Nucleic acid testing (NAT) is a highly sensitive method used to detect current infections in blood. Canadian Blood Services already uses this testing to identify blood-borne infections such as Hepatitis C, HIV and West Nile virus.  

Health Canada approved the first NAT designed specifically to screen blood donations for malaria in early 2025. Roche, a healthcare device company that creates innovative medicines and diagnostic tests, developed the test. 

Canadian Blood Services is committed to maintaining a safe, sufficient national blood and plasma supply while expanding donor participation and inclusion. This includes regularly reviewing eligibility criteria based on the latest scientific evidence, as well as advancements in technology and testing.   

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