Boost for production of plasma drugs

The Union health ministry in a circular issued last week has permitted blood banks with component separation facility to exchange their surplus plasma with indigenous fractionators in return for plasma-derived products. Fractionation involves separation of blood into its components so that protein components in plasma can be turned into useful medicines.

This is expected to meet the demand for plasma-derived products like albumin especially, as hospitals and clinics across Maharashtra have been facing a shortage of the life-saving drug human albumin serum.

Welcoming the initiative, city-based blood experts affirmed that it would certainly help in meeting the demand of plasma derived products like immunoglobulins, albumin and others.

Human albumin serum is a protein in human plasma that maintains levels of calcium in the body and transports nutrients in the blood stream. During liver disease, kidney failure, burns, and malnourishment, albumin acts as a life-saving drug, whereas immunoglobulin is a type of cell that helps in destroying foreign cells to protect the body from infection, explained Vinay Shetti, head of Think Foundation.

Navreet Singh Kang, additional secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, states in the circular that there had been reports about surplus plasma being wasted in some blood banks. The policy regarding permitting blood banks to provide surplus plasma to indigenous fractionators was made to obviate the wastage and increase the availability of indigenous plasma products.

After permitting bulk transfer of blood between licensed blood banks, the ministry in a separate circular (DO No.S-12016/01/2012) issued the permission to all state blood transfusion centres, food and drug authorities and health directorates.

“Currently, plasma derived products are imported but this proposal to allow surplus to be used by indigenous fractionators will be helpful in increasing availability of these products,” said Dr Narendra Naidu, medical director, Red Cross Society, Mumbai.

Several conditions have been mentioned in the circular. (See box)Maharashtra State Aids Control Society (MSACS) which will be responsible along with the State Transfusion Council to monitor the quality of plasma fragmented hasn’t yet received the notice. When The Asian Age contacted Dr Srikala Acharya, director of MSACS, she stated, “I haven’t received the circular yet. I will verify with blood safety division, NACO.”