Is it true that we must label blood and blood components with specific machine-readable bar code information by April 26th, 2006?

Yes, under the bar code label requirements final rule of Feb 26, 2004, products subject to the rule, including blood and blood components intended for transfusion, must be in compliance by April 26, 2006. The regulation for blood and blood components is located at 21 CFR 606.121(c)(13). The final rule is entitled: Bar Code Label Requirement for Human Drug Products and Biological Products (69 Federal Register 9120, February 26, 2004).