HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 19, 2024: Officials of Telangana Drugs Control Administration has cancelled the licences of two blood banks on the charges of illegal sale of human plasma in various parts of Hyderabad city.
DCA Director General VB Kamalasan Reddy said that the officials of DCA raided ‘Haemo Service Laboratories‘ situated in a residential building at Bhavani Nagar, Moosapet, Hyderabad. During the raid, DCA officers detected a huge stock of human plasma bags stored in freezers. R. Raghavendra Naik has been operating the firm ‘Haemo Service Laboratories’ within the apartment, illegally collecting plasma from various blood banks (blood centers), and stockpiling them for sale in an unauthorized manner.
Similarly, the DCA officers found that ‘Srikara Hospital Blood Bank’ in Mythri Nagar, Madinaguda, Miyapur, Ranga Reddy District, and the ‘New Life Educational Society Blood Centre’ at Abid Ali Khan Lions Eye Hospital, Darulshifa, Hyderabad, illegally sold plasma to R. Raghavendra Naik of Haemo Service Laboratories, not adhering to the norms.
DCA officers immediately raided Srikara Hospital Blood Centre (A Unit of Venkateshwara Ortho Health Care Pvt. Ltd.), situated at D.No.222 & 223, 5th floor, Mythri Nagar, Phase-II, Madinaguda, Miyapur, Rangareddy District, and New Life Educational Society Blood Centre, situated at D. No. 22-1-1038, First floor, Abid Ali Khan Lion Eye Hospital, Darulshifa, Hyderabad, and confirmed the illegal sale of plasma to ‘Haemo Service Laboratories’ upon verification.
At blood banks, plasma is separated from whole blood, collected from donors, through a process called ‘plasmapheresis’. After collection, it must be frozen within 6 hours to preserve its integrity. Plasma must be stored in freezers at temperatures below minus 30°C to maintain its stability and prevent degradation.
Human plasma plays a crucial role in various medical treatments and therapies. Plasma transfusions are essential in treating patients with clotting disorders, such as hemophilia, and those who have undergone massive blood loss or trauma and also used in the treatment of immunodeficiency disorders and autoimmune diseases. Plasma is also administered to patients in critical conditions, such as severe burns, to stabilize their condition and prevent complications.
DCA Telangana issued show cause notices to ‘Srikara Hospital Blood Centre’ in Madinaguda, Miyapur, and ‘New Life Educational Society Blood Centre’ in Darulshifa, Hyderabad, following inspections of the blood banks (blood centers). The notices were issued regarding the illegal sale of plasma from the blood bank and for certain violations reported by DCA officers regarding non-conformity with blood bank norms.
As the illegal sale of plasma by blood banks can have detrimental consequences on public health, the licenses of the two blood banks, ‘Srikara Hospital Blood Centre’ in Madinaguda, Miyapur, and ‘New Life Educational Society Blood Centre’ in Darulshifa, Hyderabad, have been cancelled by the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, with immediate effect, in the larger public interest.
Blood banks (blood centers) must implement stringent measures to prevent such activities and ensure the integrity of blood banking practices. Stringent action shall be taken as per the law against violators.
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