Hyderabad: Illegal Human Plasma Collection Racket Busted

The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) Telangana busted an illegal human plasma collection racket in the city on Monday, following which the licenses of two blood banks have been cancelled for illegal sale of plasma.

Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) Officials have cancelled the licences for two 'Blood Banks' in the city for the illegal sale of human plasma.

As the illegal sale of plasma by blood banks can have detrimental consequences on public health, the licences of the two blood banks—‘Srikara Hospital Blood Centre’ at Madinaguda, Miyapur (Ranga Reddy Dist.) and ‘New Life Educational Society Blood Centre’ located at Darulshifa, Hyderabad—have been cancelled by the DCA with immediate effect, in the larger public interest, DCA Director General V B Kamalasan Reddy said in a release here on Monday.

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The licences cancelled for the two blood banks in connection with the illegal plasma collection racket were busted at Moosapet in the city on February 2, 2024.

On February 2, acting on credible information, the DCA officials conducted a raid at ‘Haemo Service Laboratories’ operated by R. Raghavendra Naik in a residential building at Bhavani Nagar, Moosapet, and during the raid, DCA officials detected a huge stock of human plasma bags stored in freezers.

Raghavendra Naik has been operating this lab at an apartment and illegally collecting plasma from various blood banks (blood centres) and stockpiling it for sale in an unauthorised manner.

DCA officers found that two blood banks illegally sold plasma to R. Raghavendra Naik of Haemo Service Laboratories, not adhering to the norms.

The officials immediately raided the two blood banks and confirmed the illegal sale of plasma to Haemo Service Laboratories upon verification.

At blood banks, plasma is separated from whole blood collected from donors through a process called ‘plasmapheresis’. After collection, it must be frozen within 6 hours to preserve its integrity. Plasma must be stored in freezers at temperatures below minus 30°C to maintain its stability and prevent degradation.

Human plasma plays a crucial role in various medical treatments and therapies. Plasma transfusions are essential in treating patients with clotting disorders, such as haemophilia, and those who have undergone massive blood loss or trauma. They are also used in the treatment of immunodeficiency disorders and autoimmune diseases. Plasma is also administered to patients in critical conditions, such as severe burns, to stabilise their condition and prevent complications.

The DCA officials issued show-cause notices to the two blood banks after inspections made at blood centres for the illegal sale of plasma from the blood bank and for certain violations reported by DCA officers regarding non-conformity with blood bank norms.

Blood banks (blood centres) must implement stringent measures to prevent such activities and ensure the integrity of blood banking practices. Stringent action shall be taken as per the law against violators, the release added.

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