A Georgia-based corporation has launched a significant legal battle against several multinational biopharmaceutical companies, alleging systematic racial discrimination in the plasma collection industry. C.P. Plasma Center, Inc., filed a lawsuit on December 31, 2025, in the Northern District of Georgia’s Atlanta Division against defendants including Kedrion S.p.A., Grifols S.A., and CSL Limited, among others.
The complaint, brought forth by C.P. Plasma Center, Inc., accuses these global giants of engaging in discriminatory practices that have excluded African American-owned businesses from lucrative contracts within the plasma industry. The plaintiff claims these actions violate multiple federal civil rights statutes, including Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1866. According to the lawsuit, the defendants have created an oligopoly that systematically denies minority-owned enterprises equal opportunities to participate in commercial contracting within this critical healthcare sector.
C.P. Plasma Center is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for economic losses and reputational harm caused by what it describes as “systematic, intentional, and egregious discriminatory practices.” The company also demands injunctive relief to prevent further discrimination and requests declaratory judgment to establish liability under federal and state laws. The complaint highlights how the defendants’ actions have led to a de facto economic apartheid in the plasma industry by favoring white-owned entities over equally or more qualified African American businesses.
The plaintiff’s case is bolstered by specific allegations detailing how its owner, Mr. Furquan Stafford—an experienced professional with over two decades in the plasma collection field—was repeatedly denied business opportunities despite meeting all necessary qualifications. Stafford alleges that during industry conferences, he was directly told by executives that his race was a barrier to securing contracts. This narrative underscores broader accusations of racial bias within an industry heavily reliant on donations from African American communities but which allegedly excludes them from ownership opportunities.
C.P. Plasma Center seeks a court order for defendants to cease discriminatory practices and implement corrective measures while awarding costs and attorney fees under relevant civil rights legislation. This legal action could set a precedent regarding contractual discrimination claims under Section 1981 of U.S.C., particularly concerning whether ongoing discriminatory acts constitute a single violation for statute limitations purposes.
Representing C.P. Plasma Center are attorneys whose identities remain undisclosed in this document; similarly, no specific judges are named apart from referencing Case ID: 1:25-cv-07481-SDG.
Source: 125cv7481_Plasma_Center_v_Kedrion_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf
