In order to generate evidence based recommendations for safety related regulatory decisions in blood safety, Haemovigilance Programme of India (HvPI) has broadened its scope and reach by adding 29 more centres under it. HvPI is aimed at raising awareness of transfusion hazards and giving an early warning of new complications to improve safety of blood transfusion for patients.

Launched on December 10, 2012 by National Institute of Biologicals (NIB), HvPI earlier had 207 centres covering blood banks, medical colleges, government and private hospitals across the country. With this, the HvPI programme has also been able to generate 2900 blood transfusion related adverse reaction reports till date through its 236 centres across the country.

NIB is an autonomous institution under the Union health ministry which ensures quality of biologicals and vaccines in the country available through domestic manufacturers or imports.

As a part of the programme, data in transfusion reaction reporting form (TRRF) from various centres is being collected through a software, Haemo-Vigil indigenously developed by IT division of NIB.

Through this reporting system, HvPI will help in identifying trends in adverse reactions and events, thereby to also form transfusion policy. HvPI will ensure that traceability of events is done through proper documentation. This will lead to effective recommendations to be accepted and acted upon as also through defining systematic documentation process. The reporting system deployed under HvPI is confidential, independent, offers expert analysis, is systems oriented and responsive. The identities of the patient, reporter and institution are never revealed to third party going by the clause for confidentiality.

It is therefore independent of any authority. NIB/Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) are the co- ordinating centres between the reporters and regulators.

To recognise underlying systems causes with the help of a Haemovigilance Advisory Committee (HAC), reports are evaluated by experts who understand the clinical circumstances. Such information is also key to introduce required changes in the applicable policies, improve standards, systems, processes and assist in the formulation of guidelines.