Mumbai FDA Confirms Branded Watches Distributed To Blood Donors, Refers Case To SBTC For Action

Mumbai: The state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has forwarded to the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) a case involving the distribution of branded watches to blood donors at a Mumbai blood donation camp, after its inquiry confirmed that donors had received the gifts. The FDA has asked the SBTC to take necessary action against those concerned. SBTC Director Dr Suhas Mohnalkar was unavailable for comment despite repeated calls and messages.

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The blood donation camp was organised on April 9 by the Young Star Committee at Altamount Road in Mumbai in association with Sir JJ Hospital and a blood bank linked to the Red Cross/Nair Hospital.

An independent FDA probe found that donors who attended the camp confirmed receiving watches after donating blood, contradicting an earlier written statement by the organisers that no gifts or prizes had been distributed. The inquiry followed a complaint filed through the Aaple Sarkar portal on April 18 and a subsequent news report on the issue.

During its initial inquiry, the FDA sought a written explanation from the organisers. The Young Star Committee acknowledged that an offer of a gift had appeared in the original advertisement but maintained that no gift or prize was distributed. It also submitted photographs showing that the reference to the gift was later removed from the banner.

Following the news report, however, the FDA conducted a fresh inquiry and contacted donors who had attended the camp. Their statements confirmed that watches were distributed later.

The FDA cited the National Blood Transfusion Council’s Guidelines for Voluntary Blood Donation, particularly its policy stating that offering gifts or inducements to donors is inappropriate.

The SBTC has previously raised concerns over expensive gifts, including headphones and smartwatches, being offered to blood donors. Such inducements have been termed a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, and organisers found violating the prohibition may face regulatory action.

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