Blood transfer between blood banks

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has permitted the  transfer of blood from one blood bank to another which was not allowed earlier and also fixed the exchange value for surplus plasma available at some blood banks in the country.

Background:

A shortage of blood has been the recurring problem since the SC judgement(1998) which has banned the paid donation.Moreover the inability of blood bank to lend each other also accentuated the shortage of blood units.

New guidelines and impact:

The new order of govt. is based on recommendation of National Blood Transfusion Council which is under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and  is the apex body for formulating policy matters pertaining to the organisation, operation, standards and training of a sustainable and safe blood transfusion service for the country, set up under the directions of the honourable Supreme Court of India

The permission of transfer the blood will ensure safe blood and access to blood products especially in case of disease outbreaks(like dengue in Delhi).

• The  fixing of an exchange value for surplus plasma available will increase the availability of essential life saving medicines like human albumin, immunoglobulins, clotting factors, etc. which are all derived from plasma.
• In the absence of this provision surplus plasma was traded or sold by the blood banks without any regulation
• This move will also reduce India's dependence on import of these products.

Source:PIB