They are interesting questions and the answers to those questions could raise important questions regarding medical ethics were it to turn out that funding came from outside the WTS. That said, however, to the best of my knowledge they are only questions and speculation. I would not be surprised if the answers to those questions proved to be disturbing as is so often the case with the WTS. Very little surprises me anymore. We are dealing with a group of men who are convinced that the end justifies the means.
Where does the money come from to operate the Hospital Information network?
by OrphanCrow 21 Replies latest watchtower medical
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OrphanCrow
Lee Elder: I would not be surprised if the answers to those questions proved to be disturbing as is so often the case with the WTS.
That is why I think it is critical to be asking these (as yet) unanswerable questions now that the charity invesigations are underway in the UK. If the Hospital Information network is, indeed, just another part of the WT monolith, there could be some uncomfortable questions raised about the origin of the funding and the purpose of that department.
It could prove to be very interesting if the financial connections between the bloodless industry and the WTS were scrutinized as the result of investigating the WTS' "charitable" work. And yes, I think it would raise some perplexing ethical issues, particularly when the shifting blood doctrine is intimately tied up with the supply of medical subjects for paticular pharma concerns.
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OrphanCrow
JWdaughter: My mom got an hour or so with an end who was hired by hospital as regular employee and who led mum through a loooong session involving a blood agreement, mum chose from a lot of options after being totally led by JW hospital employee to which option were acceptable.
Catholic hospital, paid by Medicare and group health.Yes. The JWs are quite integrated into various medical systems besides the "bloodless clinics" that are managed by JWs. There are far more JWs that work in health care who are influencing JW patients than most people realize.
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Lee Elder
<There are far more JWs that work in health care who are influencing JW patients than most people realize.>
That in and of itself is a concern that requires no speculation or further revelation. It would be a worthy topic for discussion in one of the medical ethics journals imo.
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Coded Logic
I'm really confused as to what exactly what you think costs so much. When you say "extensive" medical library do you mean a collection of medical papers published on the topic of blood? And when you say "copious amounts of promotional propaganda" are you talking about the Watchtower and Awake?
If so, I don't see any extensive costs here. A subscription to a network of peer reviewed medical papers only costs a few hundred dollars a year. And the WT and Awake are existing avenues of propaganda.
Or, are you talking about something else? Are you saying that the WT funds research into bloodless treatments? And that it pays to have that research sent to medical institutes and hospitals?
Can you be a little more specific in what the HIS does?
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OrphanCrow
Coded Logic: When you say "extensive" medical library do you mean a collection of medical papers published on the topic of blood?
I am speaking of the type of library that would be necessary to maintain, in order to draw from, to produce and distribute the type of quasi-journal-volumes that the WTS printed way back in the 70s for distribution to hospitals across Canada (and probably elsewhere) in order to pressure medical doctors to use alternative treatment to blood transfusions. I have a copy of one of those journals and it is notated and marked by the JW men who compiled it - marked on the WTS' copies of the journal articles used from their own library at that time (pre-digital journals and newspapers, etc). It is no mean feat to put together that type of publication. And it was done by the WTS using their own library and manpower.
I am also speaking of the CD productions that the WTS produced to promote alternative treatments to blood - the ones they made before they farmed out noblood promotion to the bloodless JW men like Melseth and company. And the material that is given to doctors and hospitals - lots of it.
I am not speaking about the Watchtower and Awake - those are just the vanilla versions of noblood promotion watered down for the masses - there has been much literature produced for distribution into the medical institutions that far exceeds what is printed in the WT rags.
Are you saying that the WT funds research into bloodless treatments? And that it pays to have that research sent to medical institutes and hospitals?
One of the WTS' greatest resources is their followers - the WTS doesn't need to fund research - they provide the research subjects. Which is a commodity that is valuable beyond calculation. Jehovah's Witnesses have been used for years in clinical trials - providing 'volunteers' for those clinical trials has real financial compensation attached to it. Medical recruiters don't come cheap and people who are enrolled in clinical trials are quite often compensated financially for their participation. My *guess* is that the WTS has been getting compensated for arranging patients for clinical trials and medical studies. And that it has been going on for decades.
No, the WTS wouldn't pay to send their data collection to hospitals - quite the contrary - the data they collect on JW patients would actually be valuable to them as a resource, not an expense - data is worth money to the right people.
As far as being specific as to what the HIS does...well, besides attending FDA hearings on blood technology, they have been involved in promoting blood management networks across the world. The conferences that were held for blood management promotion back in the late 90s and early 2000s were attended by JW doctors who are part of the HIS. The information that trickles down to the JW members is only a tiny part of what the HIS does.
In 2001, several JWs who had come up through the ranks of the HLC established the Society for the Advancement of Blood Management. The SABM. Founded by JWs. And, the first year they were established, guess who received the SABM's President Award? The Watchtower Society. That is one award you won't hear them advertsing.
There is more - but, it is pretty complicated. The world that exists above the local HLC fellows is complex, large, and active. The HLC are just the "publishers" for a huge noblood machine. They are the front men. And they don't even know it. And the ones who do know....likely justify profiting from the blood doctrine by rationalizing that they are "saving" JW lives. Greed does funny things to people's moral compasses.
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DesirousOfChange
There are far more JWs that work in health care who are influencing JW patients than most people realize.
My recent hospital stay forced the discussion between my wife and I regarding the ban on blood and we concluded that we think it is wise to avoid a transfusion if at all possible, but we are NOT willing to be martyrs for this ridiculously contrived doctrine. Then, low and behold, a young (former) JW gal who married an UBM and who is not inactive came into the room to register my and take my insurance info and just assumed to enter my religion as "JW". To make a big ballyhoo and insist on changing that might send up red flags. You know how some of them are.......just because they couldn't live by WT/Bible standards doesn't mean they don't still "believe" it's The Troof. I could see her running to her prominent bigshot JW granddad and saying "Doc said he's not a JW on his hospital record". Watch the shit hit the fan on that!
Thankfully they didn't lose but a thimble full of blood on me.
But I think it's a great example of the quoted statement above.
Just my 2ยข.
Doc
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ThinkerBelle
Doc, HIPPA laws would prevent her from saying anything.....I would hope. She would get in big trouble career wise for sharing that and you filing a claim. -
Lee Elder
The WTS has already published what amounts to counsel for JW medical professionals to violate HIPPA. Good discussion of this is Dr. Muramoto's articles in the Journal of Medical Ethics?
ORPHAN CROW: You are welcome to submit an article to AJWRB on your topic. We would be happy to have a look.
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OrphanCrow
Lee: The WTS has already published what amounts to counsel for JW medical professionals to violate HIPPA. Good discussion of this is Dr. Muramoto's articles in the Journal of Medical Ethics
I have read Dr. Muramato's articles. They are quite good and there needs to be more written and made public about the WTS' coercive methods and how they sidestep ethical issues.
The bloodless clinics that exist in the US are ripe for violations of the HIPPA. And, as you have pointed out, the WTS encourages professionals to violate their oath if they feel they should "put Jehovah first".
The "bloodless" clinics that were established in the US were put in place by JWs. The directors who organize and run the bloodless clinics are connected to the WTS and many of them are/were HLC fellows. When a JW attends a bloodless clinic, they are not getting treated by medical professionals that sit independent from the WTS - the clinics ARE the WTS/JWs themselves. This is something that few JWs are aware of. They think that by choosing noblood options and going to a bloodless clinic, that they are getting independent medical treatment but their treatment is being directed by the very same organization that has told them that "God" wants them to chose that route.
Here is an example (I recommend reading Blakeney's background for all those who still believe that the HLC is just a bunch of elders who bone up on blood substitutes and such...this is what the big guys in the HLC network aspire to):
Edward Blakeney is one of many Jehovah's Witnesses working in the field of bloodless medicine.
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/edward-blakeney/50/b11/453?trk=pub-pbmap
According to Edward Blakeney's professional profile, he states that in his capacity as a Blood Conservation Coordinator for Tenet Healthcare, he " Facilitated contract with Jehovah's Witnesses Headquarters". And much more...
Created a database company specializing in improving patient outcomes and lowering blood utilization cost. Company was acquired by Haemonetics in 2007.
Haemonetics - the company that was run by the fellow who worked with Lorenz Reibling back when Haemonetics was still part of American Hospital Supply. Haemonetics - the company that manufactures the cell saver that was an integral part of alternative treatment for JWs way back in the days before the r&f JWs even knew what one was.
Not only are the bloodless clinics run by JWs, but we now have the situation in Australia where an entire country is getting their blood needs influenced by JW men who were once HLC. So, the WT noblood influence is no longer "just a JW" issue - it effects everybody. Europe is facing the very same thing - bloodless clinics owned, managed, and directed by JW doctors and JW medical professionals. And in other countries as well, blood "management" is primarily propelled by JW medical professionals.
I would love to see an inquiry that focused on the WTS' HLC network and their involvement in promoting blood management and alternative medical procedures. There is no doubt in my mind that the WTS has clearly violated ethical parameters in how they have handled their blood ban. And they have gotten away with it...so far.
*about that article, Lee...I sent you a pm. :)