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Jehovah’s Witnesses have eased aspects of their doctrine on blood transfusions, allowing members to decide whether their own blood may be removed, stored, and later returned during medical procedures.
In a video statement released on their website on Friday, Gerrit Lösch, a member of the JW’s governing body, said the clarification reflects the need for personal decision-making in matters involving a patient’s own blood.
He noted that the denomination’s long-standing position against the transfusion of donated blood remains unchanged, as members are still expected to “abstain from blood” based on biblical teachings.
According to the group, while scriptural directives guide its rejection of transfused blood, the Bible does not specifically address the use of a person’s own blood in medical and surgical care.
The organisation said this has informed its updated position, emphasising that individual members must decide how their own blood is handled — including whether it can be stored and reinfused during treatment.
“The decision is a personal one,” the group said, noting that members may arrive at different conclusions based on their understanding of scripture and personal convictions.
Jehovah’s Witnesses said while the collective doctrine on abstaining from blood remains binding, decisions involving personal medical care — particularly the use of one’s own blood — are left to individual members after prayer and consideration of biblical principles.
However, the group still maintains the ban on transfusions of another person’s blood but allows individual discretion in life-saving treatments.
The clarification comes amid growing medical options involving blood management technologies, such as cell salvage and heart-lung machines, which can involve a patient’s own blood.
In December 2025, Mensha Omotola Esther, a grocery shopper popular known as Aunty Esther, died of breast cancer after reportedly refusing a blood transfusion in line with her Jehovah’s Witness faith.
