Question & AnswerQ&A (DOH ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2005-0002)
The main policy of the state under Republic Act 7719 is to promote and encourage voluntary blood donation by the citizenry to ensure an adequate and safe supply of blood.
The Rules and Regulations cover all facilities, both government and private, throughout the Philippines that provide blood services.
A Blood Service Facility (BSF) is a unit, agency, or institution providing blood products. Types include Blood Stations, Blood Collection Units, Hospital Blood Banks, and Blood Centers.
The Philippine Blood Center's functions include donor recruitment and care, blood collection, testing for infectious diseases, blood processing, apheresis, storage and distribution of blood products, quality assurance, training and research, immunohematologic examinations, manufacturing typing sera, plasma derivatives preparation, and ensuring the safe and adequate supply of blood products.
The NCBS, chaired by the Secretary of Health, is composed of heads or representatives from various blood service and health organizations. It governs the Philippine National Blood Services, approves policies, standards, strategic plans, fund allocation, and certification of importation privileges, and develops blood service capabilities.
Funding sources include budget allocations from the national government, financing agencies such as PCSO and PAGCOR, reimbursements from PhilHealth, blood service fees from hospitals, support from donor agencies, international organizations, and local government units.
A Blood Services Network is an informal organization composed of designated blood centers, hospital blood banks, stations, and end-user hospitals within a specific geographical area to provide coordinated blood services.
PhilHealth reimbursement requires that the blood unit is from a voluntary blood donor, tested only at Philippine Blood Center, Subnational, or selected Regional Blood Centers, and transfused according to rational blood use indications.
The law mandates that blood units issued by licensed blood centers need not be retested by hospitals but must be ensured safe by issuing centers. Retesting can be done on physician request. Hospitals and health facilities must use blood products only from licensed authorized blood centers.
While the law text provided does not specify penalties explicitly, operating without proper authorization and licensing as required by the Department of Health is implied to be against the rules and may be subject to legal and regulatory sanctions as per national health laws.