The Coimbatore-based enforcement wing of the Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department has detected a major contravention of Drugs & Cosmetic Act and Rules committed by a city based blood bank.

During an inspection at the ‘Lion’s Club of Coimbatore Legend Blood Bank & Research Centre’ led by G Selvaraj, assistant director of Drugs Control, it was found that the Elisa Reader in the unit, which was used for conducting HIV test, was not working and the bank was supplying untested blood to the patients. The bank’s storage facility was also not functioning well and hence the bank could not store the collected blood properly. Further, the refrigerator in the centre was also found out of order.

The enforcement officer said the blood bank unit has no contact or contract with Lion’s Club of Coimbatore and it was using the Club’s name without official endorsement.

He said, in addition to this, the blood bank had no qualified and sufficient technical staff including lab technician. Another contravention detected was that at the time of inspection a lady doctor was present in the blood bank, but her name was not endorsed in the licence.

When contacted, M Bhaskaran, director of Drug Control Department told Pharmabiz that he would initiate stringent action against the blood bank and said he issued an order asking them to stop collection, storage, processing, manufacture and distribution of blood and blood components with immediate effect.

The director further said one more blood bank unit in Chennai, Aurobindo Blood Bank and Components Research Centre in Kilpauk, was also given Stop Collection order following detection of violation of rules under in the D&C Act. Both the centers were asked to submit explanation if actions were not to be initiated.

Bhaskaran added that Aurobindo Blood Bank was not properly maintaining the records and it lacked proper storage facilities and qualified technical staff. Last week he had given one stop collection order to one Lions Blood Bank and Research Centre functioning in Tambaram following detection of anomalies.

He said that the department would shortly fill up the vacancies of drug inspectors and would be able to conduct routine inspections of blood banks in every part of the state. Currently, a total of 255 blood banks are operating in the state.