Jehovah’s Witnesses have relaxed their medical guidance, now allowing members to have their own blood removed, stored, and “returned” during surgeries or medical procedures, while maintaining a strict ban on receiving blood from others.
The change, announced Friday in a video statement by Governing Body member Gerrit Lösch, is intended to give members greater personal choice in medical care.
“Regarding the use of one’s own blood…each Christian must decide for himself how his blood will be used in medical and surgical care,” Lösch said.
The clarification formalises practices that many members already follow, including autologous transfusions, blood tests, kidney dialysis, the use of heart-lung machines, and cell salvage devices.
“Some Christians may decide that they would allow their blood to be stored and then be given back to them. Others may object. Each Christian must make his personal decision on all matters involving the use of his own blood,” Lösch explained.
A spokesperson for the group emphasised that their core belief regarding the sanctity of blood remains unchanged. “The Bible does not comment on the use of a person’s own blood in medical and surgical care,” the spokesperson said, citing biblical instructions from Noah and the Mosaic Law.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian-based movement known for door-to-door evangelism, has about nine million members worldwide, including 144,000 in the UK. The group has long prohibited blood transfusions, citing biblical commands to abstain from blood.
The updated guidance comes amid high-profile legal and medical cases. In December 2025, an Edinburgh court allowed doctors to transfuse blood to a 14-year-old Jehovah’s Witness girl during surgery, overriding her refusal on religious grounds because the procedure was deemed necessary to save her life.
The policy adjustment reflects an effort to balance long-held religious principles with modern medical realities, giving members the autonomy to make informed choices regarding their own blood.