[Surgery and blood transfusion in Jehovah's witnesses: a medical-legal review].
Conflict between two ethical and legal conditions such as life and freedom is frequent in medical practice. Jurisdiction has handed down contradictory decisions and edicts when placing life (and therefore the lex artis of physicians) above Jehovah's witnesses' right to refuse blood transfusions. However, in principle, the right to life takes precedence over the patient's autonomy because, based on professional ethics, physicians have a duty to attempt a cure. Thus the patient's liberty is infringed, giving rise to interventions that may give rise to complaints and lawsuits. The present article provides an overview of each and every situation that could give rise to doubts, as well as an analysis of jurisdiction and the legal responsibilities involved in surgical decisions about Jehovah's witnesses.
Villarejo
Pedro
P
Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital General de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España. villarejocampos@yahoo.es
Padilla
David
D
Cubo
Teófilo
T
Marcote
M Antonia
MA
Molina
Mercedes
M
Menéndez
Pablo
P
López
Antonio
A
Pérez-Sauquillo
Mariano
M
Martín
Jesús
J
D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033221:Jehovah's Witnesses; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy