JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES & SURGERY
Jehovah’s Witnesses regard the non-consensual transfusion of blood and primary blood components (red cells, white cells, plasma and platelets) as a gross physical violation.
Derivatives of primary blood components, such as albumin, immunoglobins and coagulation factors are seen as a matter of individual choice; as is the use of autologous procedures.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England have a code of practice for the surgical management of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Click here to view the code of practice
The Department of Health has published a sample referral form and pre-operative checklist to be used where the patient declines treatment involving the use of blood components.
Click here to download the form and checklist
There is also further information in Appendix 3 in the Handbook of Transfusion Medicine, published by the UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services.
Some Jehovah’s Witnesses will accept autologous transfusions of blood collected via Cell Salvage. The UK Cell Salvage Action Group have produced a fact sheet with information for those involved in Cell Salvage for Jehovah’s Witnesses. This document includes a useful diagram demonstrating how to set up a continous circuit, which some Jehovah’s Witnesses will specifically require.
