Blood collection agency's novel approach to JWs and blood donation

by Marvin Shilmer 3 Replies latest jw friends

  • Marvin Shilmer
    Marvin Shilmer

    Today I added an article to my blog advertising a novel approach taken by a major blood collection agency that potentially taps a previously unthinkable source for blood product donation.

    My article is titled American Blood Centers' Approach to Jehovah's Witnesses Donating Blood.

    We can only wonder how Bethel fields calls steered from this source.


  • Socrateswannabe
    Socrateswannabe
    Thank you for this, Marvin. So is this a policy that the HLC knows of and applies only under certain circumstances? I am familiar with the hardline policy that states that a person cannot store even his own blood for further use, much less donate it to someone else. I have never seen the distinction made that if it is to be used for fractions, it is permissible. I would like for this to be so.
  • Marvin Shilmer
    Marvin Shilmer

    "I have never seen the distinction made that if it is to be used for fractions, it is permissible. I would like for this to be so."

    I haven't done this in several years, but at one time a JW could phone Bethel and ask "Since we can accept fractions from blood that has been donated by someone can we donate blood strictly for the purpose of having fractions extracted for another JW who needs it for transfusion?" and they'd get the answer, "Yes, so long as the rest is thrown away."

    Once when I spoke with insider Fred Rusk I went further by asking why this was not published information. His response haunts me to this day. He said, "It's not something we want to talk up."

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    I have posted on Marvin's blog that here in the U.K , as we do not get paid for donations, we cannot stipulate how our donated blood is used, which is O.K by me, my blood will do some good however they use it, but this may prevent any JW's from donating here in the U.K.

    A crying shame, at least if they could do that small act, they would actually be doing something of benefit to someone else, and a stranger at that.

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