COMMON CAUSE,A REGD.SOCIETY,NEW DELHI vs UNION OF INDIA

The Supreme Court, in a Public Interest Litigation under Article 32, addressed the deficiencies in the blood banking system in India, highlighting that blood is treated as a 'drug' under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Court emphasized the need for proper regulation of blood banks to ensure the safety and health of blood supplies, citing the report by M/s. A.F. Ferguson & Co. which revealed that a significant number of blood banks are unlicensed and that health checks on blood donors are inadequate. The Court directed the Union of India and the States to take immediate steps to rectify these issues and implement a time-bound program for improvement.