Mumbai Blood Banks Face Licence Suspensions Over Watch Gifts at Donation Camp

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration suspended the licences of three Mumbai blood banks for three to five days after discovering that Titan watches were given as gifts to donors at an April blood donation camp.

Blood Banks Involved

The affected facilities are the Indian Red Cross Society Blood Centre in Mumbai, the Dean Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals Blood Centre in Byculla, and the B.Y.L. Nair Charitable Hospital Blood Centre in Mumbai Central. Their licences faced suspensions of five days, three days, and three days respectively under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945. Meanwhile, the blood centres at Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals and Nair Hospital appealed the suspension orders before the State Government and obtained temporary stays.

Investigation and Violations

The Young Star Committee on Altamount Road organized the camp in late April 2026. Advertisements promised Titan watches to donors, which directly violates National Blood Transfusion Council guidelines that ban offering gifts at voluntary donation camps. Although organizers and blood banks initially denied any knowledge of the gifts, FDA officials spoke directly with donors who confirmed receiving the watches. The FDA inspected the three blood banks on August 22, issued show-cause notices on September 2, and held personal hearings on September 22 before ordering the suspensions after finding the explanations unsatisfactory.

Context

Blood donation guidelines prohibit material gifts to ensure that people donate purely out of altruism rather than for personal gain. This policy helps maintain the purity and safety of the voluntary blood supply by preventing individuals from donating blood for commercial rewards.