Medical confidentiality and the protection of Jehovah's Witnesses' autonomous refusal of blood
- PMID: 11055043
- PMCID: PMC1733285
- DOI: 10.1136/jme.26.5.381
Medical confidentiality and the protection of Jehovah's Witnesses' autonomous refusal of blood
Abstract
Mr Ridley of the Watch Tower Society (WTS), the controlling religious organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), mischaracterises the issue of freedom and confidentiality in JWs' refusal of blood by confusing inconsistent organisational policies with actual Biblical proscriptions. Besides exaggeration and distortion of my writings, Ridley failed to present substantive evidence to support his assertion that no pressure exists to conform to organisational policy nor systematic monitoring which compromises medical confidentiality. In this refutation, I present proof from the WTS's literature, supported by personal testimonies of JWs, that the WTS enforces its policy of blood refusal by coercive pressure to conform and through systematic violation of medical confidentiality. Ridley's lack of candour in dealing with the plea of dissident JWs for freedom to make personal and conscientious decisions regarding blood indicates that a serious breach of ethics in the medical care of JWs continues. The medical community should be seriously concerned.
Comment in
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Treatment of patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses.J Med Ethics. 2001 Apr;27(2):137-8. doi: 10.1136/jme.27.2.137-a. J Med Ethics. 2001. PMID: 11314160 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
Comment on
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Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses: Part 2. A novel approach based on rational non-interventional paternalism.J Med Ethics. 1998 Oct;24(5):295-301. doi: 10.1136/jme.24.5.295. J Med Ethics. 1998. PMID: 9800583 Free PMC article.
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Transfusion-free treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses: respecting the autonomous patient's motives.J Med Ethics. 1998 Dec;24(6):376-81. doi: 10.1136/jme.24.6.376. J Med Ethics. 1998. PMID: 9873976 Free PMC article. Review.
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Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses: Part 3. A proposal for a don't-ask-don't-tell policy.J Med Ethics. 1999 Dec;25(6):463-8. doi: 10.1136/jme.25.6.463. J Med Ethics. 1999. PMID: 10635499 Free PMC article. Review.
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Jehovah's Witnesses' refusal of blood: obedience to scripture and religious conscience.J Med Ethics. 1999 Dec;25(6):469-72. doi: 10.1136/jme.25.6.469. J Med Ethics. 1999. PMID: 10635500 Free PMC article.