Blood, Medicine and Jehovah's Witnesses

1982

Major and minor components June 22 Awake introduces the concept of what the organisation sees as the MAJOR and MINOR blood components (or fractions) and shows therefore what are and aren't allowed. Minor products are OK, Major ones are forbidden. Summarised as follows

Blood consists of 54% Plasma, 45% red cells, Platelets 0.17% White cells 0.1% The plasma contains all the complex proteins, Albumin, clotting factors and immune - globulin, fibrinogens etc. To recap:

ALLOWED (subject to personal conscience): Albumin, Immune globulin serums, Factor 8 & 9 for haemophiliacs, blood diversion and treatment of blood by dialysis machines (as long as they are not primed with blood) etc.

NOT ALLOWED (regardless of conscience: Whole blood, Plasma, Red (erythrocytes) or White (leukocytes) blood cells, Platelets, any storage of blood - even one's own.

"Small quantities" It should be noted that when asked why the use of ALL blood and products are not simply banned, the argument is often advanced that preparations etc. involving small quantities of blood puts the matter into "personal conscience". That is why a Witness will allow a blood test, which would involve the normally wrong practice of storing the blood, without 'pouring it out'. Why is this? Who decides? What exactly is a "small quantity" - 5ml, 10ml, 200ml? How often can one receive this "small quantity"?

It is interesting also to take a closer look at the so called "major and minor" components. Many doctors have pointed out that PLASMA (not allowed) is about 93% water. The other 7% contains the Albumin, globulin and anti-coagulant agents etc that are ALL ALLOWED. Is it the water that is ruling it out? I apologise for the cynicism, but I did not make up all these constantly changing rules and baseless distinctions.

The white cells or leukocytes (not allowed) are only 0.1% of blood and many many more leukocytes are actually found in the ORGANS of the body (transplants allowed) and HUMAN MILK. Breast feeding has [thankfully] escaped criticism.

Albumin, immune globulin and gamma globulin (all allowed) require the donation of literally litres of blood to manufacture each dose of serum or product. Vast blood banks are used to STORE and process all this blood and blood fractions.

The organisation want to keep their stand on blood but allow the (by now very common) use of serums. They graciously leave it to personal conscience. Just how the average Witness is supposed to use his or her conscience in deciding whether to accept or reject any one of a number of a complex blood derived products is not stated. They are not medics or scientists. For instance Pharmacology in Nursing - Bergersen - 1976 Page 525 says (of gamma globulin / immune globulin)

The blood of a thousand persons! But it's up to your own conscience. No penalty. Accept Plasma though and you will be disfellowshiped!

The amount of blood needed to be donated in order to produce the Factor 8 or 9 that a haemophiliac would use in a lifetime would probably amount to literally hundreds of thousands of pints, all requiring storage (no "pouring out") at some time. A haemophiliac will generally have to inject themselves with a large syringe of factor 8 or 9 very regularly, perhaps weekly.

As earlier mentioned, It would seem logical and acceptable for ones own blood to be taken and re-used later, if for instance a future operation was envisaged. Yet the above mentioned Awake of June 22, 1982 said it was OK to collect ones own blood as long as it was returned to the body a little later. The means of collection & return could not be removed. It is likened to extending ones circulatory system. This is why kidney dialysis, heart lung machines are acceptable. NO STORAGE of the blood could be allowed though. The same article in the June 22 1982 Awake on page 25 restated that Factor 8 treatment for haemophiliacs was acceptable.