Blood & Medical Issues concerning
Jehovah's Witnesses

Deal reached in care of Jehovah's Witness baby The deal allows the state to authorize blood transfusions that go against the Jehovah's Witness couple's religious beliefs. The parents opposed blood transfusions for their son born 15 weeks premature. (added 12/07/2003)

Irreconcilable beliefs shattered family -Parents’ clash over transfusions led to divorce A bitter clash between religious beliefs and medical treatment led to the ultimate breakup and bankruptcy of a Calgary family, a judge has concluded in the parents’ divorce action. (added 11/20/2003)

Bethany's battle rages a year after her death -Parents fight for custody of little sister Bethany made headlines in Canada after refusing to undergo blood transfusions and died of acute myeloid leukemia. Bethany's father claims the Watchtower Society and his wife played a major role in her death. He is now fighting for sole custody of his youngest daughter who lives with her mother and is also a Jehovah's Witness. (added 07/26/2003)

Woman bled to death Patience Edema, a Jehovah's Witness, 24, died three days after giving birth to her second daughter,after refusing a vital blood transfusion. (added 04/05/2003)

U.S. Army policy letter regarding Jehovah's Witnesses and blood Although Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t join the army, the U.S. Army has distributed a letter regarding the treatment of Jehovah’s Witnesses in military clinics. You can read the scanned letter here on WIS! (added 01/29/2003)

Jehovah's Witness Died for her Faith A devout Jehovah's Witness died after she refused a blood transfusion which could have saved her life.She had undergone an angiogram which involved inserting a needle into her thigh. This triggered an internal bleeding. (added 11/08/2002)

Worldwide Class Action Suit against the Watchtower Society A consortium of attorneys are planning Mass Class Action Suits against the Watchtower Society for victims of sexual abuse and wrongful death. (added 10/11/2002)

Dad of Alberta girl who fought transfusions lashes out at Jehovah's Witnesses The grieving father of a 17-year-old Jehovah's Witness girl who died of leukemia says he intends to sue the religious group, claiming it destroyed his family and caused his daughter to fight against blood transfusions. (updated 09/07/2002)

Jehovah's Witness teen happy to be 17 years old A Canadian girl is undergoing alternative chemotherapy treatment at an undisclosed location in North America. She made headlines earlier this year when she refused to receive blood transfusions. Her battle has torn her family apart. Her parents are now embroiled in divorce proceedings, split over Mia's refusal to undergo blood transfusions. (added 08/21/2002)

Dying teen leaves Canada for treatment
The father of a teenaged leukemia patient who fought against blood transfusions for religious reasons is upset that his wife has taken their daughter out of the country to a secret location where she'll begin alternative treatments.
(added 07/22/2002)

Judge overrules parents, says baby can have blood
A circuit judge ordered Florida Hospital doctors to give a premature baby girl a blood transfusion if needed to save her life. The Jehovah"s Witness mother was 25 to 26 weeks pregnant when she gave birth, and the baby weighs less than one pound. (added 05/23/2002)

Teen's transfusions must continue: Court The Alberta Court of Appeal ruled that a young Jehovah's Witness from Calgary will have to continue getting blood transfusions. The 16-year-old girl, who suffers from leukemia, is not mature enough to make a decision that's crucial to her treatment, the high court said in upholding earlier rulings by lower courts. (added 04/27/2002)

Father shunned by family for defying faith to save child
A father is shunned by the Jehovah's Witnesses he once embraced since defying his faith by agreeing to blood transfusions for his 16-year-old leukemia-stricken daughter. (added 03/11/2002)

Where is the WTS headed with their blood policy? The WTS stood at the threshold of permitting autologous whole blood transfusions and for some reason, presently unknown, suddenly shifted and stepped back. They already printed new blood cards and sent them to the congregations. But the distribution of the of the new cards have been cancelled and the elders were instructed to destroy these new cards.

The Blood Transfusion Taboo of Jehovah's Witnesses Origin, Development and Function of a Controversial Doctrine. (a Richard Singelenberg article)

Childbirth Death Risk High in Jehovah's Witnesses JW women have a dramatically increased risk of death due to excessive blood loss during childbirth according to the results of a study.

Rado Vleugel's Story "My name is Rado Vleugel. I am the webmaster of this site.
Once I was a zealous Witness of Jehovah, but I was Disfellowshipped because I questioned the blood-issue."

Refusal of potentially life-saving blood transfusions by Jehovah's Witnesses: should doctors explain that not all JWs think it's religiously required? Raanan Gillon, Imperial College School of Medicine, London University Journal of Medical Ethics 2000;26:299-301.

Why some Jehovah’s Witnesses accept blood and conscientiously reject official Watchtower Society blood policy Lee Elder, The Associated Jehovah’s Witnesses for Reform on Blood Journal of Medical Ethics 2000;26:37 5-380

Medical confidentiality and the protection of Jehovah's Witnesses' autonomous refusal of blood. Osamu Muramoto, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Division Portland, Oregon, USA Journal of Medical Ethics 2000;26:381-386

Medical Possibilities & Ethical Aspects of Refusal of Blood-transfusionson
See Bibliography for publications on the Ethical aspects of the refusal of blood-transfusions & medical possibilities when confronted with a refusal of blood-transfusion by Jehovah's Witnesses.

WTS & Vaccination Whether the WTS has been "consistent" in their stand on vaccinations the reader may judge from this article... (An Investigator Magazine Article)

The Story of Gary Busselman His wife died on January 12, 1971 at 26 years of age because she rejected an organ transplant (An Investigator Magazine Article)