Last Updated on January 13, 2026 by The Health Master
Blood and Blood Components
In a transformational move to safeguard patients and uphold the integrity of the nation’s healthcare system, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) undertakes a series of extensive training and online sensitization programs for officials and staff working at blood centres across the country, ensuring compliance with mandatory, urgent new quality standards for Blood and Blood Components for transfusion safety.
Blood and Blood Components Qualify as a Drug
The underlying rationale is simple: because blood and its separated components (plasma or platelets, for example) come from a human donor, legally, it falls under the definition of a ‘drug’ as per the prevailing Drugs Rules, 1945, which, in turn, means that it must qualify for the same stringent, mandatory, enforceable quality criteria as any other life-saving drug.
Must read: Latest on Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)
New Standards to Reduce Transfusion Risks
Since safe blood transfusion practices are paramount, the IPC has taken the lead in developing several general requirements and monographs or comprehensive “quality parameters” for Blood and Blood Components.
These new standards exist with the ultimate goal of reducing the likelihood of transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) mandatory accountability means that only safe Blood and Blood Components will be administered once each unit/component passes safety screening.
Moreover, this concentrated effort increases regulatory compliance in transfusion medicine, meaning that all blood banks / centres will have the criteria needed for practical implementation by way of comprehensive yet feasible quality control operations issued under national regulations and in line with international standards.
Training Webinar: November 7th
The national sensitization campaign will kick off with a National Webinar on November 7, 2025, which will include presenters from some of the most trusted speakers in the field, from IPC subject matter experts to significant officials from drug regulatory agencies and transfusion medicine professionals across IPC regulations.
This major meeting will center around Gazette Notification – GSR 166(E): Drugs and Cosmetic (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020, published on March 11, 2020, which, for the first time, legally integrates the new quality standards for Blood and Blood Components into the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP).
What Will Be Discussed?
Key topics will cover:
- Integrated Disclosure: Analysis of quality standards for blood and blood components as per the IP.
- Best Practices: Insights from transfusion medicine experts regarding compliance requirements.
- Questions: Technical and compliance-related questions from blood centre personnel will be fielded in practical sessions.
Who Will Benefit?
All personnel engaged with safe blood supply transfusion from this comprehensive training will receive practical clarifications to offer relevant assessments to primary levels of responsibility.
Benefitted personnel include:
- Blood Bank/Blood Centre Professionals: Those who collect, draw, test, and house various types of blood.
- Regulatory Officers: Those charged with assessment and compliance.
- Institutions for Blood Irradiation: Those who operate facilities that irradiate blood components.
- Researchers: Those engaged in transfusion medicine studies.
According to an official statement, “The sessions are invaluable to ensure that every blood transfusion performed in India is safe, efficient, and effectively quality-assured as per regulations, which ultimately strengthens the public’s trust in the healthcare delivery system.”
Q: Why are blood and blood components being treated as a ‘drug’ under these rules?
A: Blood and blood components (platelets, plasma etc.) qualify as a ‘drug‘ as per the Drugs Rules, 1945 along with it because these biological preparations/components/derivatives of a human source are used as treatment upon transfusion. By qualifying it as a ‘drug‘, the government can enforce quality standards to protect patient-recipients.
Disclaimer: This article contains information obtained from the source mentioned below. Our team made changes in the format to rewrite and present the news or article in a unique format.
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