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In a significant move to ensure the highest standards of quality and safety of blood and blood components used in transfusion services, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) is set to conduct a series of sensitisation programmes and webinars aimed at educating and guiding officials from blood centres across the country.
Under the provisions of the Drugs Rules, 1945, both blood and blood components are legally defined as drugs, as they are prepared, derived, or separated from a unit of blood drawn from a human donor. Recognising the critical importance of safe blood transfusion practices, the IPC has also developed comprehensive general requirements and monographs, which are quality standards specifically designed for blood and blood components obtained from human sources. These standards are intended to minimise transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) and ensure that every unit of blood or its components meets stringent safety benchmarks before use.
Marking the beginning of this national initiative, the first sensitisation programme will be held as a National Webinar on November 7, 2025. The event will feature eminent experts from IPC, drug regulatory authorities, and the field of transfusion medicine, who will deliberate on key aspects of the Gazette Notification - GSR 166(E): Drugs and Cosmetic (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020, dated March 11, 2020.
The webinar’s agenda includes a detailed session on the quality standards for blood and blood components introduced for the first time in the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), expert-led discussions on transfusion medicine practices and compliance with regulatory frameworks and interactive Q&A sessions designed to address technical, procedural, and compliance-related queries from participants.
This sensitisation drive aims to enhance regulatory compliance among transfusion service providers with step-by-step guidance on implementing quality control procedures for blood components in line with national and international standards. By offering practical insights and regulatory clarity, the programme seeks to help healthcare institutions uphold the highest levels of safety, reliability, and efficacy in blood and blood component used in transfusion services.
The initiative will particularly benefit professionals from blood banks and centres, regulatory officers, institutions performing irradiation of blood components, and researchers in transfusion medicine.
“These sessions help ensure that every blood transfusion in India is safe, effective, and of uncompromising quality, strengthening public confidence in the nation’s healthcare system,” according to an official.
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