Medicinal Products

Clarification June 2009

A hospital blood bank may supply blood (medicinal) products for administration to specific named patients outside the legal entity without the requirement for the supply to be carried out by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. The section 55 exemption in the Medicines Act 1968 allows supply in the course of a business of a hospital for the purpose of being administered (whether in the hospital, health centre or elsewhere ) in accordance with written directions of a prescriber.

The supply outside the legal entity by the hospital blood bank of blood products as stock items would be wholesale distribution and would require a wholesale dealer's licence. Alternatively, if the wholesale supply of the blood products was made from a pharmacy by or under the supervision of a pharmacist and fell within the narrowly drawn conditions of the section 10(7) exemption for pharmacists in the Medicines Act, then a wholesale dealer's licence would not be required.