title: Medical, legal and ethical considerations concerning the choice of bloodless medicine by Jehovah's Witnesses.
abstract: The management of patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses involves important medical, legal, and ethical considerations. A court case in Japan upheld 'the patient's right to decision-making' as part of the patient's 'personal right.' When the patient is a mature minor, his or her wishes should also be respected. Even when the patient is a young child, all appropriate and available alternatives should be exhausted before considering a blood transfusion. Transfusion-alternative strategies have made it easier to choose bloodless medicine and surgery. This matter of treating the 'whole person' should be considered with all its related factors in mind.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Information Services for Jehovah's Witnesses (Japan), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1271 Nakashinden, Ebina-City, Kanagawa, 243-0496 Japan. hisoffice@branch.email.ne.jp
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ariga
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayasaki
mesh_terms: D001802:Blood Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D033221:Jehovah's Witnesses; D033242:Minors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D012068:Religion and Medicine
chemical_list: D001802:Blood Substitutes