BY GRACE ZIGAH
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced a significant change to its position on blood transfusion, giving individual members the freedom to decide whether to accept certain major blood components from another person.
Under the new position, Jehovah’s Witnesses may personally choose whether to accept red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma or platelets during medical treatment. The organisation says such decisions are now matters of individual conscience rather than issues subject to a uniform religious prohibition.
The announcement was made in a statement issued from the organisation’s World Headquarters in Warwick, New York, on September 18, 2026.
The adjustment also extends to blood donation. Individual Witnesses are to decide for themselves whether they will donate blood specifically for the purpose of providing blood components or fractions for another person.
However, the organisation has stressed that the change does not overturn its long-standing prohibition against whole-blood transfusions.
Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to base their position on the biblical instruction to “abstain from blood,” citing Acts 15:20 as the foundation for their religious belief.
Paul Gillies, international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, said the group continues to regard blood and human life as sacred.
“Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God,” he said.
He added that decisions involving blood components would now be left to the conscience of individual members in their relationship with God.
The latest announcement follows previous changes concerning blood fractions and the use of a person’s own blood during medical procedures.
According to the organisation, the Bible does not provide specific instructions on whether an individual should accept certain blood components. Consequently, such decisions are viewed as matters of personal conscience.
That reasoning has now been extended to the four principal components of blood — red cells, white cells, plasma and platelets.
Gillies said congregations would continue to respect and support the choices made by individual Witnesses.
