On September 30, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the second reading and as whole Bill №3648 on safety and quality of donor blood and blood components. 251 lawmakers of Ukraine voted in support.

The Bill aims to create a modern blood system in Ukraine that will meet safety and management standards and best practices of the European Union.

"The approval of this bill is a big step towards high-quality European medical care in Ukraine. A safe, modern system of blood and blood components donation is a necessary and important requirement for the Ukrainian health care system. I thank the people's deputies for approving this priority initiative, which introduces European standards in this area. Because European integration is not only about economic benefits, but also about ensuring dignity and human rights," commented Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.

The bill introduces the following fundamental changes:

• implementation of the principle of free voluntary donation as a basis for effective operation of a national blood system;
• creation of a competent authority for quality control of work with donated blood and licensing of all institutions that work with blood and blood components;
• creation of the National Register of Blood Donors and Blood Components, as well as persons who cannot be donors. The register will be integrated into the general electronic system of medical environment in Ukraine - eHealth;
• state control over the work with donated blood, in particular in the work of private institutions (certain activities related to donor blood collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution);
• abolition of the norm that allows donating blood only at the place of registration. Foreigners and people with temporary registration will also be able to become blood donors.

The system of benefits and incentives for donors will also be reviewed, which should exclude cases when a blood donor hides certain information and exposes himself or others to danger for monetary or other rewards.