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Since 1997, the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for  Reform on Blood (AJWRB) has worked to promote reform of the Watchtower Society's (WTS) blood policy. Our efforts have been directed at educating the medical community and individual Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) themselves regarding the many irrational aspects of the policy and the resulting needless loss of life.

To date we have only seen minor compromises from the WTS. Primarily, these amount to permission for JWs to use hemoglobin solutions and a technical change in how the WTS handles those who conscientiously choose to accept any blood product not approved for use by the WTS.

The introduction and eventual wide spread use of hemoglobin solutions like Polyheme and Hemopure are going to save the lives of many JWs. While we wait for these products to obtain FDA approval and then for the manufacturing process to gear up, JWs and their physicians continue to have very few effective options to cope with massive blood loss other than red cells which remain banned by the WTS.

As we have shown on this site, a red blood cell is nothing more than a tiny doughnut shaped bag of hemoglobin – it doesn't even have a nucleus! The red cell is 97% hemoglobin and 3% bag (membrane).

It is the position of AJWRB that for the WTS to advise JWs that they may accept hemoglobin but not red cells demonstrates a depraved indifference for human life. What possible ethical justification exists for them to sanction the use of animal blood (Hemopure – bovine hemoglobin) and yet at the same time deny a desperately ill JW youngster the human based hemoglobin found in the red cell?

The WTS  teachings and support of this policy result in the needless deaths of many JWs and their children. Our estimates show that approximately 2/3 of the children raised as JWs grow up and leave the WTS, so what does their death accomplish?

A Time to Act

It seems clear to us that the WTS repeatedly fails to make a full disclosure regarding these issues and then coerces adults and children alike into rejecting potentially life saving  transfusions of red cells. After five years of prodding, we believe the time has come for families who have been injured by this policy to appeal to God's minister (Romans chapter 13) through the civil justice system and in some locations the criminal justice system.

We believe that the Watchtower Society has for decades dispensed what amounts to bad medical advice and systematically indoctrinated children to support its irrational policy on blood. Though a smoking gun is not yet available, we expect that before long memos and notes will “leak out” or be found through "discovery" which show the WTS careful plan to slowly extricate itself from a policy that WTS leaders no longer believe in. Additionally, the history of the blood policy and the WTS published statements show a relentless watering down of the policy consistent with this theory.

It is not only those who have bled to death that may have a claim against the WTS, but also the thousands of families whose loved ones were effectively forced into discontinuing their chemotherapy because they were not permitted to accept the smallest of all blood components (platelets at 0.17%). Other JW families that have lost members who supported WTS bans on various blood products, vaccines and organ transplants may also have valid claims.

At this time, the Law firm of Love and Norris is actively seeking to represent those who have been victimized by Watchtower Society policy on the use of blood. (Scroll down to the second half of page). This is one of the law firms involved in litigation against the WTS for its policies which have protected pedophiles and hurt children.
While we regret the need for litigation against the WTS, it seems very clear that if left to their own timetable, thousands of additional persons could lose their lives. Therefore, we endorse and support the right of every JW family to seek compensatory and punitive damages for injury or wrongful death. Additionally, AJWRB will make every effort to supply needed documentation and expert testimony. Our desire is to see a prompt end to the current blood policy of the WTS and for all JWs to have a free choice in their medical care. We believe that several large damage awards will supply the necessary motivation for WTS leaders to accelerate their plans and finish extricating themselves from the doctor/patient relationship.