QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 1517)
RA 1517 declares as national policy the prevention of trafficking in human blood and its products and derivatives.
“Blood” means human blood, processed or unprocessed, including its products and derivatives.
“Person” includes corporations, partnerships, associations, and organizations.
“Cost” means the actual purchase price of unprocessed blood and its handling charges (collection, processing, storage, transportation, and sale), plus a reasonable allowance for spoilage.
It is unlawful for any person to establish or operate a blood bank or blood processing laboratory, or to collect or process blood if he is not a licensed physician, without first securing a license from the Department of Health.
No. RA 1517 prohibits selling blood collected from another person—even if authorized by the latter—without first securing a license from the Department of Health.
In cases of emergency, blood transfusion is allowed under the responsibility of the attending physician without the required license.
They may continue operating if they secure the required license within sixty (60) days from the issuance of the rules and regulations under Section 5.
The facility must operate in accordance with accepted scientific standards; be under the administration, direction, and supervision of a licensed and qualified physician; and blood must be collected and/or processed by licensed physicians or under their direct supervision and responsibility.
No license shall be granted or renewed for blood collection and/or processing unless the licensee complies with the requirements set for blood banks and blood processing laboratories.
They shall be operated on a non-profit basis.
No. Blood collecting or processing by other collectors/processors or by individual physicians shall also be on a non-profit basis.
Blood shall be sold at cost by blood banks/laboratories, other blood collectors/processors, and individual physicians.
The Secretary must strictly enforce the Act and issue rules and regulations necessary to carry out its provisions, including prescribing maximum ceilings for handling charges (collection, processing, storage, transportation, sale) and allowing reasonable spoilage as part of cost.
Imprisonment of not less than one month and not more than one year, or a fine of not less than one hundred pesos and not more than one thousand pesos, or both, at the court’s discretion.
It takes effect upon its approval (approved June 16, 1956).
Section 5 authorizes the Secretary of Health to prescribe from time to time maximum ceilings for handling charges and to include reasonable spoilage as part of cost.