Bioethics and Law
Jehovah’s Witnesses value life and actively seek quality medical care for themselves and their children. They accept the vast majority of medical treatments, including surgical and anesthetic procedures, devices, and techniques, as well as hemostatic and therapeutic agents. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that allogeneic blood transfusion (i.e., whole blood, red blood cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma) and preoperative autologous blood deposit (PAD) for later reinfusion are prohibited by several Biblical passages.
Ethical, legal, and social factors for health-care professionals to consider when treating patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.