[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.
Servicio de Cirugía General y Aparato Digestivo, Hospital General de Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real, España. villarejocampos@yahoo.es
Pedro
P
Villarejo
David
D
Padilla
Teófilo
T
Cubo
M Antonia
MA
Marcote
Mercedes
M
Molina
Pablo
P
Menéndez
Antonio
A
López
Mariano
M
Pérez-Sauquillo
Jesús
J
Martín
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