By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 30, 2016: BLOOD having been classified as a Drug, Blood Bank activities are regulated under Drugs & Cosmetics Act & Rules. Every Blood Bank is required to obtain/timely renewal of the license from DCG(I ) for operation under this Act & Rules, and follow the conditions of license for conduct of its activities.

During their operations, the functioning of Blood Bank is monitored by respective State Government through the office of Drug Controller by annual inspections and surprise visits to take cognizance of fulfilling regulatory requirements.

National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) and State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), which were formed as per Supreme Court directive in 1996, are the apex bodies at National and State Level to form policies (National Level) and implementation of these policies at state level.

NBTC has constituted a ‘‘National Blood Transfusion Services Core Coordination Committee”, chaired by the Director General of Health Services, Govt. of India, (Member, NBTC) to review the functioning of blood banks in the country. This committee meets quarterly to review the status of blood transfusion services in the country and conduct annual/ surprise monitoring visits to blood banks. Similar State Transfusion Services Core Coordination Committees are set up in states to quarterly review the transfusion services in the State and make routine and surprise monitoring visits to blood banks.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Mr Aupriya Patel, stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here yesterday.