Jehovah's Witnesses and the choice of non-blood treatment : a case study in bioethics

DOI 2 Citations 19 References
  • HAYASAKI Shiro
    ものみの塔聖書冊子協会ホスピタル・インフォメーション・サービス
  • NISHINA Takeo
    エホバの証人の吹田医療機関連絡委員会
  • NAKAI Takeshi
    エホバの証人の東京医療機関連絡委員会

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Other Title
  • エホバの証人と無輸血治療の選択 : 生命倫理のケース・スタディとして考察する

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Abstract

When a medical choice has to be made, it is vital to place oneself in the position of the patient. There may be, however, a conflict of interest between the patient's right to self-determination and the doctor's ethics or beliefs in regards to the medical treatment. Can such a conflict in values be prevented? To what extent should doctors respect the patient's rights? Questions regarding a conflict in values, as well as the extent of informed consent (IC) are frequently raised at medical conferences and classes at universities. In order to obtain the answers, in addition to medical knowledge, the matter of ethics holds an important key. Jehovah's Witnesses have been addressing this issue by offering accurate information about their views to medical personnel and lawyers. As one approach, they have accepted invitations to classes of medical students at universities and participated in the discussion. The view of Jehovah's Witnesses was explained from three aspects, 1) ethics, 2) legal matters, and 3) medical choice. This has resulted in a better understanding of Jehovah's Witnesses, which in turn has helped avoid confrontations. Consideration was also given to cases involving minors. As a case study in bioethics and IC, the basic beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses are explained.

Journal

  • Bioethics

    Bioethics 11 (1), 97-103, 2001

    Japan Association for Bioethics

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