‘Blood not meant for sale’: Health regulator bans all charges except supply and processing costs on blood units
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) bans all charges except supply and processing costs on blood units, ANI reported. The decision was taken based on the principle that “blood is not meant for sale", prompting the issuance of an advisory to all blood centers across India.
“It is only for supply and only processing cost may be charged by the blood centre," said the letter, according to a report by News18. Also Read: Government bans anti-cold drug combination for kids aged under four The letter added, “It was opined to issue an advisory to all blood centres regarding NBC revised guideline for recovery of processing charges for blood and blood components." According to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has directed all states and Union Territories to comply with the recent decision and adhere to the updated guidelines provided by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC).
Also Read: Drug regulator to closely monitor small drug firms According to the updated guidelines, only processing fees are permissible, with charges ranging from ₹250 to ₹1,550 for blood or blood components. For instance, when providing whole blood or packed red blood cells, a fee of ₹1,550 can be imposed, whereas for plasma and platelets, the charge would be ₹400 per pack.
The government regulations also establish specific charges for conducting additional tests on blood, including cross-matching and antibody testing. (With inputs from agencies)Milestone Alert!
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