Free watches for blood donors: 3 Mumbai blood banks face FDA action
Donors received Titan watches at an April camp, and the FDA said the gifts violated National Blood Transfusion Council rules.
- On Wednesday, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration suspended three Mumbai blood banks for distributing Titan watches as gifts to donors, violating National Blood Transfusion Council guidelines on voluntary blood donation.
- The Young Star Committee organized a blood donation camp on Altamount Road in April, with advertisements promising Titan watches to donors—a practice strictly prohibited by National Blood Transfusion Council guidelines.
- Suspension terms vary by facility: the Indian Red Cross Society Blood Center faces five days, while Grant Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital each face three-day suspensions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules.
- Grant Medical College and BYL Nair Charitable Hospital filed appeals with the State Government and secured interim stays on their suspension orders, temporarily halting enforcement of the bans.
- FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe stated blood donation is a vital social service and that the administration remains committed to ensuring strict compliance with all legal provisions and guidelines.
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12 Articles
FDA suspends licenses of 3 blood banks over distribution of wrist watches at blood donation camp
According to the FDA, the action was taken against the Indian Red Cross Society Blood Center (Mumbai), the Blood Center at Dean Grant Medical College & Sir JJ Group of Hospitals (Byculla), and the BYL Nair Charitable Hospital Blood Center (Mumbai Central).
According to experts, blood donation should be completely voluntary. Enticing people to donate blood with gifts can undermine the spirit of this program. Therefore, it is crucial to follow the rules at blood donation camps.
Mumbai FDA Suspends Three Blood Banks Over Gifts to Blood Donors - PUNE PULSE
Mumbai, 15 Oct, 2026: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of three Mumbai blood banks for distributing Titan watches as gifts to blood donors at a camp held in April 2026. The action was taken after an investigation found that the practice violated the National Blood Transfusion Council’s (NBTC) guidelines on
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