Blood Bank

Why should we pretend that we know medical science, the Supreme Court on Friday said while refusing to entertain a plea seeking mandatory Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT) in all blood banks to ensure supply of infection-free blood to recipients. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked petitioner 'Sarvesham Mangalam Foundation' to submit a comprehensive representation to the secretary of health departments of States and Union Territories on the issue. The bench said the secretary may, with the aid and advice of domain experts, take appropriate decision on the issue. "Do you think PILs are not funded from abroad. Do you think so?" the CJI told the petitioner's counsel during the hearing. The bench said the petitioner should go and make representation before the authorities. "We are definitely not experts on the subject... why should we pretend that we know medical science," the CJI said. The top court observed it was for the domain experts to d

World Blood Donor Day 2025: World Donor Day is observed every year on June 14 to recall the importance of blood donation for the healthcare system across the world

A team of researchers from the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) have identified a new blood group system known as MAL, which was first discovered in 1972

An advisory issued by the DCGI to all states and Union Territories, read that "blood is not for sale", it's only for supply and that only processing costs may be charged by the blood centres

Hospitals and blood banks can now only charge processing fees for blood as the apex drug regulator has decided to do away with all other fees to check the practice of overcharging. In a communication to all states and UT drugs controllers cum licensing authorities, the Drugs Controller Genral of India (DCGI) stated that the decision was taken in view of the opinion that "blood is not for sale". Referring to the 62nd meeting of the Drugs Consultative Committee held on September 26, 2023, the DCGI in the letter on December 26 said, "It was recommended with respect of agenda No. 18 of ATR point 3, for overcharging of blood, it was opined that blood is not for sale, it is only for supply and only processing cost may be charged by the blood centre." The revised guidelines stipulate that only processing fees can be charged for blood or blood components which ranges between Rs 250 to 1,550 for blood or blood components. The DCGI has asked states and UT drug controllers to direct all blood

Every person can donate on a regular basis. Men can donate every three months and women can donate every four months

India collected 11.1 million units of blood in 2016-17, meeting 85% of its 13 million units target based on World Health Organization (WHO) norms

The feature became available on October 1, which is India's National Blood Donor Day

In 2016-17, over 6.57 lakh units of blood and its products were discarded

However, the MoS Shripad Yesso Naik said that most of these districts have been newly crafted