I read a thread similar to the above on r/Canadaleft. In Canada, blood donations are not compensated (beyond cookies and juice), and are collected by a single government agency. Healthcare in Canada is free at the point of service, so people who need blood or plasma get it at no cost.
To me this seems like a good idea, I don't want there to be a price on body products. It seems bad to be that blood, or kidneys, or any human organ could be sold or bought.
On the other hand, isn't giving blood or plasma a form of labor? Should a system rely on charity to function?
Plasma is bought/sold in the United States, often sourced from the poor. But organs cannot be bought. In some countries organs can be bought.
Many western countries ( Canada included) buy plasma from the United States, because domestic donation rates are too low. So the high horse isn't even really that high.
Can a smarter leftist provide some insight?
I think the idea that "if something is labor, it should be compensated" is a juvenile form of leftism. Should you get paid for donating blood in a system where everyone's basic needs are met and all currency is labor vouchers? Sure, that sounds great. But under the current system it would create a perverse incentive for the poorest to literally sell their bodies, and I doubt any gains in amounts of donations couldn't be achieved by just putting that money into having more donation locations.