Free watches for blood donors: 3 Mumbai blood banks face FDA action

The promotional material for the blood donation camp promised wristwatches to donors, violating the National Blood Transfusion Council guidelines

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) briefly suspended the licenses of three blood banks in Mumbai earlier this month for violating voluntary blood donation norms by allowing donors to receive wristwatches as gifts at a camp in April this year, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Hands holding blood shape on red background illustration,Blood Donation (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The three blood banks are the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), state-run Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals in Byculla, and civic body-run BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, the people said.

Following the FDA decision, the licence of IRCS blood centre’s was suspended for five days (October 9–13), while blood banks at JJ and Nair hospitals received three-day suspensions (October 9–11) after they filed urgent appeals with the state government.

According to FDA, the suspension was ordered following an inquiry in connection with a blood donation camp organised by the Young Star Committee at Altamount Road in Mumbai in April in association with JJ Hospital, Red Cross, and Nair Hospital blood banks.

The promotional material for the blood donation camp promised wristwatches to donors, violating the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) guidelines and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which strictly prohibit remuneration or inducements for voluntary donations.

Initially, the camp organisers and participating blood centres claimed they were unaware that gifts were given. But during its investigation, FDA officials found evidence that the donors received watches.

The FDA inspected the three blood centres on August 22, 2026, and issued them show-cause notices on September 2.

The order was passed after FDA found their explanation, presented at a hearing on September 22, unsatisfactory. The action was taken under the relevant provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which regulate blood centres and related activities.

No action was taken against Young Star Committee, which donated the watches, since it was neither a licencee nor a beneficiary. It has, however, been warned not to repeat the mistake again, an FDA official said.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the administration was committed to ensuring that blood donation was not influenced by gifts or other inducements.

“Blood donation is an important process associated with social responsibility and service to humanity. The FDA is committed to ensuring that no gifts or inducements are used to encourage blood donation and that the relevant guidelines are followed,” Mundhe said.