Jehovah’s Witnesses Adjust Blood Transfusions Policy, Allow Members to Decide on Major Blood Components
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has adjusted its long-standing policy on the medical use of blood, giving individual members the freedom to decide whether to accept or donate four major components of blood.
Under the new position announced on September 18, 2026, Jehovah’s Witnesses may personally decide whether to accept red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood during medical or surgical treatment.
Members may also decide whether to donate blood specifically for the purpose of producing components or fractions that could be used in treating another person.
The change, however, does not lift the organisation’s prohibition on transfusions of whole blood.
Jehovah’s Witnesses said their long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions remains unchanged and is based on their interpretation of the biblical instruction to “abstain from blood” in Acts 15:20.
The organisation explained that the Bible does not specifically address medical decisions involving the individual components derived from blood and that such decisions should therefore be left to the conscience of each member.
International spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Paul Gillies, said blood remains sacred to members of the faith, while decisions involving blood components are now regarded as a matter between an individual Witness and God.
The organisation also said congregations would not interfere with members’ personal decisions on whether to accept the permitted blood components.
The latest development follows an earlier policy adjustment in March 2026 concerning the use of a patient’s own blood. That change allowed individual Witnesses to decide whether their own blood could be collected, stored and later used during medical or surgical treatment.
The September adjustment therefore represents a further expansion of individual decision-making on blood-related medical care within the faith.
Despite the changes, Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to reject transfusion of whole blood and donation intended for whole-blood transfusion. The organisation maintains that its members seek conventional medical treatment and do not practise faith healing.