BIG - Irish Gov't Told to Set National Policy on JWs and Blood

by skeeter1 28 Replies latest watchtower medical

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    I can't get this important article to post, so here's the link. Please read it.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0404/1224244010408.html

    This is the Irish authorities that are looking into the JWs and blood

    http://www.ibts.ie/Clinical_Services/Haemovigilance/

    Write them a LETTER, E-MAIL, PHONE CALL, FAX, etc. Let's educate them, as the JWs and their attorneys are likely trying to sway them too.

    There is a "contact" where you can write an e-mail at:

    http://www.ibts.ie/Clinical_Services/Haemovigilance/Contact_the_NHO/

    And, you can also send snail mail to

    National Blood Centre, James's Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 00 353 1 4322800 Fax: 00 353 1 4322930

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    I am looking for Dr. Simon Mill's contact information. Can someone find his contact and add it?

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    Patient Focus/Sheila O'Connor is also a person to write to: Her contact info is:

    http://www.patientfocus.ie/contact.htm

  • StAnn
    StAnn

    Okay. Here is a copy of the email I just sent to Sheila O'Conner at Patient Focus:

    "Dear Ms. O'Connor,

    I hope this email finds you well.

    I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, left the group as an adult, and am now Roman Catholic. I live in the USA. My brother was in an automobile accident and came close to dying because my mother and he refused to allow him to have a blood transfusion. Also, a dear friend of mine just lost his grandmother because she refused a blood transfusion. So I'm acutely aware of the effect the Jehovah's Witness belief system has on their medical care.

    As a Catholic, I hope that the Irish government does nothing to override an individual's conscience, even if that conscience has been formed with flawed information. For instance, I would hate to see hospitals force women who had been raped to take the "morning after pill" even if the women are against abortion at all costs. So although I do not believe the Jehovah's Witness stand on blood transfusions is logical or based in any scientific or religious fact, it is still their deeply held conviction and should be respected.

    That being said, I would like to recommend that Jehovah's Witnesses be required to sign a release stating that refusal of a blood transfusion or other blood products could result in their death and that such refusal is at the behest of the Watchtower, Bible, and Tract Society of Brooklyn, NY, USA. It should also state that patients cannot sue any medical professionals or hospitals if they suffer any negative effects or die because of refusing a blood transfusion or blood product. I believe it is very important that you lay the responsiblity at the feet of the Watchtower, Bible, and Tract Society. We ex-Jehovah's Witnesses watch the machinations at the WTBTS in NY and have seen many changes to their doctrines occur as a result of their desire to avoid litigation. Having JWs sign a document laying the responsibility for their beliefs at the door of the WTBTS may well be the most effective way to get the WTBTS to reconsider their policy on blood transfusions, saving many lives.

    Thank you for your consideration of my request.

    Sincerely,...."

    StAnn

  • jamiebowers
    jamiebowers

    Very well written, St. Ann, but what about children?

  • rolling rock
    rolling rock

    Transfusion policy for Jehovah's Witnesses needed, forum told

    STEVEN CARROLL

    A SINGLE policy to manage the requirements of Jehovah’s Witness patients should be developed and implemented in all hospitals, a conference on medical consent heard yesterday.

    Such a development could benefit patients and practitioners, and assist in the challenge of managing blood loss among Ireland’s increasingly ethnic population, Dr Emer Lawlor of the National Haemovigilance Office said.

    Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the Bible prohibits eating blood and its storage and transfusion, even in instances of medical emergency.

    An estimated 5,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses live in Ireland and their beliefs have resulted in a series of legal challenges after hospitals sought court orders to overrule objections to blood transfusions by members of the community or their families.

    Dr Lawlor said hospitals treating Jehovah’s Witnesses should utilise all measures to reduce blood loss, be given contact details for legal representatives of patients, and that hospital refusal forms should clearly explain the consequences of any decision.

    “In a general sense, every hospital should have a policy for managing Jehovah’s Witness patients,” she said.

    “But I am of the opinion that there should be a national overall policy.”

    The conference, The Principle of Consent, organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, discussed issues associated with consent from both medical and legal perspectives.

    Dr Simon Mills, a lecturer in medical law, said patients have a statutory right to refuse treatment and are not obligated to undergo procedures, regardless of the severity of their illness, if it is contrary to their religious beliefs.

    “Once a person is in a position to give consent, they are also in a position to refuse it,” he said.

    “As with giving consent, the refusal must be voluntary, informed and backed up by the necessary capacity.”

    Dr Mills said he expected the Mental Capacity Bill 2007, which is making its way through the Oireachtas, to define issues surrounding consent more clearly.

    Sheila O’Connor, of advocacy group Patient Focus, said many of the people who contacted the group believed they had ceded less consent than medical professionals assumed in treatment.

    Ms O’Connor said many doctors and nurses believed they do not make mistakes in their work, but that a number of medical practitioners had contacted the group as they were wounded by the bad experiences of their patients.

  • StAnn
    StAnn

    Damn, you got me there, Jamie. I guess that parents would have to be given the right to decide. The problem I have is that, once you have a law saying that you can ignore a parent's rights regarding health care or religious control of their children, it's a slippery slope. Look at Italy today, where the name you give your child has to be approved by the local registry board where birth certificates are registered. If they don't like the name, a judge is allowed to rename your child what he/she thinks is appropriate. Italy is a nightmare for parental rights. In Germany, the government has made homeschooling illegal and recently removed a girl from her home because she preferred to be homeschooled. She was put in a mental institution so doctors could assess why she had an "unnatural fear" of public school. It's a cruel reality, that some parents may be so brainwashed that they will allow their children to die. However, I truly believe that if the hospitals remind people in writing that their choice to let their child die is really a decision of the WTBTS, parents will begin to start suing the WTS more and more, possibly forcing a change in WTS policy.

    It's not a perfect response, I know, but it's the best I can do off the cuff.

    StAnn

  • Mickey mouse
    Mickey mouse

    Click here to see a PDF with details of other people involved in this decision making process.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    Please read the following from www.ajwrb.org. http://www.ajwrb.org/physicians/banner_web.pdf This is a power point presentation. The fifth page has really good information on how doctors can help the JW patient.

    The Irish Governmetn is trying to come up with what is "informed consent" for JWs.

    Let's look at the word, "informed." Are JWs informed on blood? Does the misinformation place a duty on the doctors and hospitals to clear up the JWs flawed information on blood transfusions (i.e. risk of aids, etc) versus JWs flawed information on abstaining from bood (i.e. risk of dying from no blood). Put some examples of how you found out you were misinformed. Fractions? Risks? Techniques? Flip flops of doctrine?

    Let's look at the word "consent." Do JWs autonomously consent to forego blood? Does disfellowshipping/disassociation/shunning factor play a coercive role? How about how your blood cards are signed in a public meeting with an elder present and other JWs in the room to ensure compliance? How about the Society's recommending that the elderly population or others with no family in the Truth give a medical power of attorney to the elders? How about the Hospital Liason Elder and deluge of JWs who patrols the hospital room and hallways. What about the Society rule that other JWs are to tattle-tale on JWs who commit a serious sin.

    Most of all, please write these three and tell them about your experiences. Send a Watchtower article or documents if you are able, or point them to stuff on the Web.

    Again, thanks to St. Ann and all who write. Sure, it's fun to talk about politics, hanky-panky, and other popular topics....but this forum can also be used as a grass roots movement. Think about it, Ireland is about to dictate how to deal with JW patients. Ireland is in a position, like Bulgaria, to pressure the Watchtower to make changes. But, Ireland does not know about the JWs....and it's our duty to help inform then. So, please, everyone write an e-mail, letter, etc.

  • skeeter1
    skeeter1

    Please read the following from www.ajwrb.org. http://www.ajwrb.org/physicians/banner_web.pdf This is a power point presentation. The fifth page has really good information on how doctors can help the JW patient.

    The Irish Governmetn is trying to come up with what is "informed consent" for JWs.

    Let's look at the word, "informed." Are JWs informed on blood? Does the misinformation place a duty on the doctors and hospitals to clear up the JWs flawed information on blood transfusions (i.e. risk of aids, etc) versus JWs flawed information on abstaining from bood (i.e. risk of dying from no blood). Put some examples of how you found out you were misinformed. Fractions? Risks? Techniques? Flip flops of doctrine?

    Let's look at the word "consent." Do JWs autonomously consent to forego blood? Does disfellowshipping/disassociation/shunning factor play a coercive role? How about how your blood cards are signed in a public meeting with an elder present and other JWs in the room to ensure compliance? How about the Society's recommending that the elderly population or others with no family in the Truth give a medical power of attorney to the elders? How about the Hospital Liason Elder and deluge of JWs who patrols the hospital room and hallways. What about the Society rule that other JWs are to tattle-tale on JWs who commit a serious sin.

    Most of all, please write these three and tell them about your experiences. Send a Watchtower article or documents if you are able, or point them to stuff on the Web.

    Again, thanks to St. Ann and all who write. Sure, it's fun to talk about politics, hanky-panky, and other popular topics....but this forum can also be used as a grass roots movement. Think about it, Ireland is about to dictate how to deal with JW patients. Ireland is in a position, like Bulgaria, to pressure the Watchtower to make changes. But, Ireland does not know about the JWs....and it's our duty to help inform then. So, please, everyone write an e-mail, letter, etc.

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