The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced a significant adjustment to its blood transfusion policy, allowing members to personally decide whether to accept or donate the four major components of blood.
The components are red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets.
The organisation disclosed the new position in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York, and published on its official website.
According to the statement, the decision to accept any of the four blood components from another person is now regarded as a matter of individual conscience.
It similarly stated that members could personally decide whether to donate blood specifically for the purpose of providing its components or fractions for another person’s medical treatment.
However, Jehovah’s Witnesses stressed that its longstanding position against whole-blood transfusions remains unchanged.
“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,” the organisation stated.
Paul Gillies, an international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, said blood continues to be regarded as sacred by members.
“Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God,” Gillies said.
He added that medical decisions involving blood components would now be left to individual members and their personal religious conscience.
“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah,” he said.
The organisation explained that the policy adjustment followed earlier clarifications concerning blood fractions and the use of a person’s own blood during medical procedures.
It said the Bible does not specifically address decisions concerning the four major blood components, making such choices a matter of individual conscience.
The organisation also maintained that Jehovah’s Witnesses seek conventional medical treatment rather than faith healing.
“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,” it stated.
Gillies further said local congregations would not interfere in members’ individual decisions regarding blood components.
“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,” he said.
The latest development builds on an earlier clarification concerning the use of a member’s own blood during surgery and other medical procedures.
Under that clarification, individual Witnesses could decide whether their blood should be removed, stored and returned to them during treatment, while the organisation maintained its position against receiving blood from another person.
Jehovah’s Witnesses said the religious movement has more than nine million members worldwide, organised in congregations across more than 200 countries and territories.
