The Jehovah’s Witnesses religious organisation has giving members the choice of whether own blood can be used during surgery or other procedures.
Reviewing its rules on blood transfusions, the group, however, said that the ban on transfusions of another person’s blood remains, while individual discretion determines decision in life-saving situations.
The body announced the changes In a video posted on its website on Friday, a governing body member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Gerrit Lösch, said that the adjustments is to give members the freedom to make personal decisions on use of their own blood.
He noted that, while adherents must abstain from blood as a doctrinal principle, the Bible is silent on use of one’s own blood.
Lösch said: ‘Regarding the use of one’s own blood…a Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be handled in the course of a surgical procedure, medical test, or current therapy.
‘Therefore, after much prayer and consideration of the Scriptures, the Governing Body has decided to clarify our position on the use of a patient’s own blood in medical and surgical care.
‘Some Christians may decide that they would allow their blood to be stored and then be given back to them. Others may object. Each Christian must make his personal decision on all matters involving the use of his own blood with regard to medical or surgical care’.
