Jehovah’s Witnesses hold a deeply rooted religious conviction that prohibits the acceptance of blood transfusions. This stance guides their medical decisions and interactions with healthcare providers. This article explores the scriptural foundation for their belief, clarifies the specific blood products they refuse, and highlights medical alternatives.
The Biblical Basis for the Stance
Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret biblical commands to “abstain from blood” as a prohibition against blood transfusions. This understanding stems from several key passages. Genesis 9:4, given to Noah, states, “Only flesh with its life—its blood—you must not eat,” establishing blood’s sacredness and its association with life.
The Mosaic Law reinforced this, repeatedly commanding against eating blood and emphasizing that “the life of a creature is in the blood.” Any animal slaughtered for food had to have its blood drained, underscoring that blood was not to be consumed. This reflected a profound respect for life as a gift from God.
This principle is reiterated in the New Testament. Acts 15:28, 29 instructs early Christians to “keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood.” Jehovah’s Witnesses view this as a timeless command, placing abstinence from blood on par with avoiding idolatry and sexual immorality. Accepting a blood transfusion would violate this divine command, showing disrespect for God as the Giver of life.
Specifics of the Refusal: Whole Blood and Components
Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse transfusions of whole blood and its four primary components: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and blood plasma. They consider these fundamental parts of blood to fall directly under the biblical prohibition, a non-negotiable religious stand even in emergencies.
However, the decision regarding blood fractions is a personal matter. Fractions are smaller derivatives from primary components, such as albumin, immunoglobulins, and clotting factors. Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize the Bible does not detail every derivative.
After careful consideration, an individual Witness decides whether to accept treatments involving such fractions. They may reason that fractions no longer represent “life” in the same way as whole blood or its primary components. This distinction allows for personal conscience regarding various medical products.
Medical Alternatives and Collaborative Care
Jehovah’s Witnesses actively seek high-quality medical care that aligns with their beliefs, leading to advancements in “bloodless medicine and surgery.” Medical professionals have developed strategies to treat patients without transfusions, focusing on minimizing blood loss, optimizing a patient’s own blood production, and enhancing tolerance to anemia.
Approaches include using volume expanders like saline to maintain fluid volume. Iron supplements and erythropoietin (EPO) stimulate red blood cell production, especially before surgery, increasing oxygen-carrying capacity.
During surgery, meticulous hemostasis minimizes blood loss. Techniques like hypotensive anesthesia can lower blood pressure, creating a “bloodless” surgical field. Some patients accept cell salvage, where blood lost during surgery is collected, cleaned, and reinfused, provided it remains the patient’s own blood.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have established Hospital Liaison Committees (HLCs) worldwide. These committees facilitate communication between patients and medical staff, providing information on bloodless management strategies and identifying skilled healthcare professionals. This collaborative approach ensures effective treatment while respecting religious convictions.