Mumbai: In a major crackdown to ensure the availability of safe blood and blood components, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of 34 blood centres and blood storage facilities and permanently cancelled four licences between April and June 2026 for violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and related rules.
Regulatory Scope
The state currently has 413 licensed blood centres and 468 blood storage centres, all of which are subject to mandatory annual inspections and surprise checks by the FDA.
According to the FDA, 21 blood centres and 13 blood storage centres had their licences suspended, while two blood centres and two blood storage centres lost their licences permanently after inspectors found serious irregularities, including non-compliance with quality standards, deficiencies in record-keeping, breaches of licence conditions and lapses in quality management systems.
Permanent Cancellations
Among the blood storage facilities whose licences were permanently cancelled are Patil Hospital Blood Storage Centre in Bori Pardhi, Pune, and Aadhar Blood Storage Centre (Trust) in Bhiwandi, Thane district.
The FDA also cancelled the licences of two blood centres in June following complaints and subsequent inspections. These include Maya Blood Centre and Sir J.J. Municipal Blood Centre in Mumbai. The regulator said serious violations detected at these facilities could adversely affect the safety, quality and efficacy of blood and blood components and potentially endanger both blood donors and patients.
"Blood is not an ordinary medicine; it is a life-saving necessity. Ensuring the availability of safe and quality blood and blood components is our highest responsibility," FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said.
He warned that blood collection, processing and distribution cannot be treated as a commercial activity and that no leniency would be shown towards institutions compromising patient safety for financial gain.
The FDA said regular and surprise inspections of all blood centres and blood storage facilities across Maharashtra would continue and strict legal action would be initiated against institutions found violating the prescribed norms.
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