Jehovah’s Witnesses have revised aspects of their long-standing doctrine on blood transfusions.
In the new clarification, the organisation now permits members to decide whether their own blood can be removed, stored, and later returned during medical procedures.
In a video statement released on Friday, Gerrit Lösch explained that the clarification reflects the importance of personal decision-making in matters involving a patient’s own blood.
He noted that the group’s core teaching against receiving donated blood remains unchanged, as members are still expected to “abstain from blood” based on biblical principles.
According to the organisation, while scripture informs its rejection of transfusions involving another person’s blood, it does not explicitly address the medical use of one’s own blood.
This, the group said, has shaped the updated position, which leaves such decisions to individual members.
“The decision is a personal one,” the group stated, adding that members may reach different conclusions depending on their understanding of scripture and personal convictions.
Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasised that while the broader doctrine remains binding, choices related to personal medical care, especially involving one’s own blood, should be made individually after prayerful consideration.
However, the denomination continues to prohibit transfusions involving another person’s blood, even as it allows discretion in certain life-saving medical treatments.
The clarification comes as advances in medical technology—such as cell salvage systems and heart-lung machines—have made it possible to use a patient’s own blood during procedures.
The issue has remained a sensitive one, particularly in cases where members have declined transfusions for religious reasons.
