Blood is not for sale, charge processing fee only ; tells DCGI to blood banks 

Blood banks are prohibited from selling blood and are only permitted to charge a processing fee. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a directive instructing hospitals and blood banks to levy only processing fees for blood, emphasizing that blood is not for sale. This big move aims to address overcharging practices by hospitals and blood banks.

DCGI sent a letter to all state governments and Union Territories on December 26 regarding blood supply. DCGI has issued these new instructions in accordance with the decision of the ‘Drug Advisory Committee’ held on September 26, 2023. Complaints have been received about overcharging for blood. However, blood is not for sale, but only for supply. Therefore, it was decided in this meeting that blood banks should charge only the processing fee for blood.

As per revised DCGI guidelines, blood banks are allowed to charge a processing fee of Rs 250 to Rs 1,550 for blood or blood components. State governments and union territories should direct hospitals and blood banks to follow these guidelines, DCGI said in the letter.

The government has received complaints about private hospitals and blood banks exploiting patients when there are no available blood donors for replacement blood. According to government sources, if a blood donor is unavailable, patients are charged a fee ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 per blood bag. Individuals with anemia or rare blood groups are often charged higher fees. The recent directive from the authorities aims to address and rectify such practices.