Children of Jehovah's Witnesses and adolescent Jehovah's Witnesses: what are their rights?
The Jehovah's Witnesses Society (JW), a fundamentalist Christian sect, is best known to laypersons and healthcare professionals for its refusal of blood products, even when such a refusal may result in death. Since the introduction of the blood ban in 1945, JW parents have fought for their rights to refuse blood on behalf of their children, based on religious beliefs and their right to raise children as they see fit. Adolescent JWs have also sought to refuse blood products based on their beliefs, regardless of the views of their parents.
Woolley
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Bristol Royal Infirmary/Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, UK. woolley_s@hotmail.com
D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D033221:Jehovah's Witnesses; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*