Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Blood Transfusion Policy Undergoes Change

The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has declared that members are now free to choose, according to their own conscience, whether to accept or donate the four primary components of blood.

The organization announced this in a statement that was posted on its website on Friday and released by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York.

According to the statement, “the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is a matter of personal conscience.”

It added that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions for use by another person.”

“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged.”

“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”

The organisation said the adjustment “follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures.”

“Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.”

On medical care, the statement said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs.”

Gillies said local congregations would not interfere in members’ personal decisions.

“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers.

“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood,” he said.

The organisation said Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations across more than 200 lands.”

This much-needed change in policy should have been implemented a long time ago. Countless lives have been lost or affected due to the restrictions imposed by the previous stance on blood transfusions. We thank God for this positive step forward, and we pray that it will save many lives and bring relief to those affected.