Jehovah’s Witnesses Adjust Blood Transfusion Rules, Allow Personal Choice

Jehovah’s Witnesses Adjust Blood Transfusion Rules, Allow Personal Choice

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have announced a major adjustment to their longstanding blood transfusion policy, allowing individual members to decide according to personal conscience whether to accept or donate four major blood components.

The new position covers red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets derived from another person’s blood. The decision was announced by the organisation’s Governing Body on Friday, September 18, 2026, from its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York.

Under the revised policy, members can personally decide whether to accept medical treatment involving any of the four components. They can also decide whether to donate blood for the production of components or fractions intended for another person’s treatment.

The organisation stressed that its prohibition on whole-blood transfusions remains unchanged. The position is based on its interpretation of the biblical instruction to “abstain from blood.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses said decisions involving the four components are now matters of individual conscience, meaning local congregations are not to interfere with or judge members over such choices.

International spokesman Paul Gillies said the organisation continued to regard blood and life as sacred while recognising that decisions concerning the four components should be made personally by individual Witnesses.

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The adjustment follows a policy clarification announced in March 2026 concerning the use of a member’s own blood during medical procedures. That position also left the decision to individual conscience where blood is removed, stored and subsequently returned during treatment.

According to the organisation, the latest decision reflects its interpretation that the Bible does not specifically address whether members should accept the four primary blood components in medical treatment.

The organisation said its members seek professional medical care and do not practise faith healing. It also said healthcare professionals should discuss individual decisions concerning blood components directly with patients and respect those choices.

The medical uses of the components vary. Red blood cells can be used to replace blood lost through surgery or serious injury, while platelets help manage certain bleeding conditions. Plasma is used in several treatments involving bleeding and clotting disorders, while white blood cells have more specialised clinical applications.

The Associated Press reported that the revised policy permits members to receive products derived from donated blood while retaining the prohibition on whole-blood transfusions.

Jehovah’s Witnesses said the organisation has more than nine million members worldwide, with congregations in more than 200 countries and territories.

The September decision represents a significant change in the organisation’s approach to the four major blood components, with responsibility for accepting or donating them now placed on individual members.

The ban on whole-blood transfusions, however, remains in place.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Adjust Blood Transfusion Rules, Allow Personal Choice