Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carriers - August 2006 Awake!

by AnnOMaly 55 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  AnnOMaly

  I think this is the first clear, official statement regarding hemoglobin-based products.

  Awake! August 2006, front page title "BLOOD: Why So Valuable?"

  P. 11 box

  What Are Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carriers?

  Within each red blood cell are some 300 million hemoglobin molecules. Hemoglobin represents about one third of the volume of a mature red cell. Each molecule contains the protein globin and a pigment called heme - which includes an iron atom. When a red blood cell passes through the lungs, oxygen molecules penetrate the cell and attach themselves to hemoglobin molecules. Seconds later, the oxygen is discharged into body tissue, sustaining the life of the cells.

  Some manufacturers now process hemoglobin, releasing it from human or bovine red blood cells. The extracted hemoglobin is then filtered to remove impurities, chemically modified and purified, mixed with a solution, and packaged. The end product - not yet approved for use in most lands - is called a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier, or HBOC. Since the heme is reponsible for the rich red color of blood, a unit of HBOC looks just like a unit of red blood cells, the primary component from which it is taken.

  Unlike red blood cells, which must be refrigerated and discarded after a few weeks, the HBOC can be stored at room temperature and used months later. And since the cell membrane with its unique antigens is gone, severe reactions due to mismatched blood types pose no threat. However, compared with other blood fractions, the HBOC presents more challenges to conscientious Christians, who seek to obey God's law on blood. Why? As long as the HBOC is derived from blood, there are two objections that may be raised. One, the HBOC carries out the key function of a primary component of blood, the red cells. Two, hemoglobin from which the HBOC is derived, makes up a significant portion of that component. Regarding this and similar products, then, Christians face a very serious decision. They must carefully and prayerfully meditate on Bible principles concerning the sacredness of blood. With a keen desire to maintain a good relationship with Jehovah, each must be guided by his Bible-trained conscience. - Galatians 6:5.
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  diamondblue1974

  They must carefully and prayerfully meditate on Bible principles concerning the sacredness of blood. With a keen desire to maintain a good relationship with Jehovah, each must be guided by his Bible-trained conscience. - Galatians 6:5.

  But if you make the wrong decision they will disfellowship you!

  DB74
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  Gill

  It's basically saying, in WTBTS double speak, that this product is not really allowable if you were to follow the WTBTS interpretation of the 'blood issue'. However, if you have it and don't tell anyone........
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  TheListener

  From my reading of the article this one seems less condemnatory of the ones who may choose to use the HBOCs than the WTS would normally be.

  Usually they say how bad they are and how the Bible is so clear, BUT if you really want to, well ok do it but don't say we didn't warn you!

  In this article they just say it presents a serious decision which we must pray over and meditate on.

  If the WT comes out with an article on the subject in the next few months we'll get the WTS real feelings on the subject.

  Make no mistake, though, even though this article was in an Awake and not a WT it is still valid WTS instruction to dubs. Not as powerful but still valid.
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  AnnOMaly

  
  Not on this one, DB74.

  If they've used the magic phrase "guided by your Bible-trained conscience," it can't be a DFing matter, can it? Otherwise they would've said something like "True Christians could not conscientiously accept this treatment."
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  blondie

  Actually, JWs have used these products (there are articles in newspapers and medical journals) that have not been DF'd.

  The real issue is that these products are made from expired STORED blood.

  Blondie
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  vitty

  The way I read it, its saying you can have it if you want to, its upto your own conscience.

  This is a real break through...................it wont be long before they have no non blood policy left.........they are giving it up bit by bit............at last, thank God
• 

  jwfacts

  This is Major News. The Watchtower is now saying outright that fractionated Red Blood Cells can be transfused as a conscience matter. Why is this so important. It shows that the WTS is continuing to water down its blood policy to remove itself of legal liability.

  If the WTS came straight out and allowed blood transfusions there would be a huge falling away. However since 2000 they are gradually allowing blood transfusions as a conscience matter, to avoid legal responsibility without alerting to the rank and file what is happening.

  PolyHeme and Hemopure was discussed in 2004 as being allowed by Jehovahs Witnesses. Fake Blood, Real Controversy by Randy Dotinga Story : http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,62955,00.html 02:00 AM Apr. 06, 2004 PT

  “PolyHeme and Hemopure, by Massachusetts-based Biopure -- are in the final phases of research. Hemopure, used in surgeries, is made from cow blood, while PolyHeme is derived from hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells… There's another benefit, too, one that has gotten little attention. While the Jehovah's Witness church discourages transfusions due to the biblical stricture against the consumption of blood, it has given its 1 million American members leeway to accept products that are not derived from the major components of blood.”

  In my JC I asked why blood fractions can be tranfused as it violates the principle of pouring blood onto the ground. The elders response was that it is a conscience matter, as somehow that alleviates the hypocrisy of it all.
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  stillajwexelder

  Since the heme is reponsible for the rich red color of blood,

  Strictly it is Iron which is complexed by heme units that give it the rich red color - the heme forms an octahedral crystal field around the iron atom satisfying the d-orbital electron deficiency
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  garybuss

  Good! They're on the right track. They can say blood is scared and repeat the old school blood chants, BUT make all blood medical treatment a personal decision. That satisfies the old school "no blood" Witnesses and frees the majority to receive modern medical treatment.
  
  Basically, all they have to do is change the shunning doctrine, not the blood doctrine. It's similar to how they treated the failure of the generation of 1914, they didn't change the doctrine, they changed the dictionary. They can do the same trick with the blood doctrine.
  
  I'm in favor of everything they do to make blood medical treatment available to those Witnesses who would benefit from it without sanctions.
  
  They didn't make the allowance of organ transplants in incremental changes, I'm not sure why they are using this approach in changing the blood medical treatment rule. There must be internal disagreement among the Society's managers.